For Better Or For Worse
by Karai III
Summary: Jack and Alex meet in an accident caused by Scorpia. As a result Jack goes back to America and Alex is without a home until Wolf takes him in. But nothing is as it seems and it could well be Alex's last stop in more ways than one.
1. The Accidents

Hello again lovely people! I've been busily producing this new work of art (hopefully) for your enjoyment and mine (it was extremely satisfying to write this). In reference to my other story 'Why Me?' the last chapter is on its way. However I am majorly (note this is not a word) disappointed in the outcome of that story so this one has higher priority. I feel it was less than my best work. Also I'd like to dedicated this story to all the exceptional Alex Rider fanfic writers out there which includes as my personal favorites but is not limited to Amitai and Von, I love their writing, and I aspire to one day reach the status of exceptional writer myself.

To Torture: Sorry about the late offer, I should have asked you further in advance but I really needed to get this posted before the weekend. So if you still want to I will gladly hand you the second chapter when it's ready and I'll dedicate it to you.

Now this thing:

**Disclaimer: If I owned Alex Rider and co. I would come here regularly to see how my adoring fans interpret my works but I would not write here.**

**Note: please excuse any incorrect information pertaining to the Special Air Service, medicine, or anything else one more intelligent than I might notice. I don't watch much TV and movies but I did do research. To my knowledge the information in this chapter is accurate.**

**Second Note: This is a near clone to the previous chapter one but because of the business with the line breaks and a few missed corrections. This revised version has been posted instead of the original.**

Pheeew, you may begin now.

Alex walked home from his meeting with MI6 on a chilly Saturday afternoon in October, musing on what Mrs. Jones and Alan Blunt had said about the new safety and security measures they'd put in place for him as a consequence of the recent Scorpia attack. He was examining the new form of ID that he had been issued by Smithers. The coating was made of a special material that revealed only basic information under normal conditions, but when held under an ultraviolet lamp which he also got in the form of an innocent looking pen, it would provide low level clearance information that identified Alex as a MI6 agent.

Smithers said that all agents had these types of IDs now, that it came in quite handy in those situations when the police or such personnel need to understand that it was imperative to secure the confidentiality of the victim, and that it showed that Alex was finally getting a little recognition, but Alex couldn't help feeling that it was a selfish maneuver to maintain their secrecy but not necessarily his well-being; what could an ID do? When and if he saw more then he might think differently. He sighed and replaced the duo to his wallet as he approached the house.

"Hello Alex." a voice not remotely familiar nor actually friendly but neither hostile called to him from behind. Alex's first thought was, _who is this and how do they know my name?_

He turned quickly, muscles tensed. "Do I know you?" he asked the tall, slim, dark haired man standing on the porch of the house next to his. The man made his way over to were Alex was standing who noticed that the man was well built and fit. Stretching out his cold left hand to shake Alex's he answered. "No. I'm your new neighbor. I met your guardian, who told me a little bit about you, today. It seems you and I both have _a lot_ in common."

"I see."

"We should keep in touch and I'll call in on you from time to time just to see how you're doing." Alex nodded with some degree of masked surprise realizing that this was a bodyguard assigned to him by MI6 as another one of their safety precautions. The man had a way with introducing himself though; not even a name. As if reading his thoughts;

"The name's Ryan Devon."

"Well nice to meet you to Mr. Devon, I'll be sure to keep in touch."

Devon nodded and turned away and Alex headed up the walk to his house wondering what they did to the old neighbor but not really wanting to know.

He went straight to the kitchen to get something to eat seeing as that he hadn't had eaten since breakfast.

"That you Alex?" Jack shouted from the bathroom down the hall.

"Yeah." He answered while putting together a strawberry jam sandwich.

"Don't ruin your appetite alright, supper's nearly ready."

He peeked into the lone pot on the burner and saw a meal of macaroni and cheese for two.

"One sandwich won't hurt, besides I'm really hungry."

"Why?" she asked in a normal tone entering the kitchen "Didn't you eat the sandwich I gave you before you left."

"Well no, you see grilled cheese is too greasy for me if I want to keep in shape. I've got to keep my health up especially with this bloody ache in my chest reminding me that I just got shot." He took his sandwich to the table with a Coke. "And since I didn't want to be late I just told myself I'd eat when I got back but then MI6 interrupted in their perfect way and had me come over to their office so _now_ is when I get to eat."

"I'm sorry Alex." Jack said guiltily as she turned off the heat under the steaming pot. "I should remember things like that, I 'm the one whose suppose to look after you but I forget those simple things."

"It's alright. I'd forget too sometimes if it weren't for the fact that this thing is always paining me."

Jack got down two bowls to share the food frowning. "Don't you have a prescription pain reliever for that?"

"I did but it's finished and there's no refill."

"Well I'm going to have to fix that." As she sat down with their bowls full, Alex noticed that she looked a little dressed up with more makeup than just the everyday lip-gloss and a nice looking outfit.

"You look nice." He commented "Going somewhere?"

"Thanks, I 'm meeting Patrick up at Hyde Park after dinner."

"Hmm Patrick… you mean that guy with the shrew nose and mousy hair?"

"Alex, be nice" she laughed "he may not be a hottie but he's much nicer than those stuck up blokes that always come around."

Alex merely raised an eyebrow but continued to eat.

Jack continued, "But first I have to pick up my car from the mechanic."

"Didn't you just have your car fixed not too long ago?"

"Yeah" she sighed "A month ago to be precise, but the thing with mechanics is that they fix your car in a way that makes sure something else will break in a short time so they can get more of your money. Now I have muffler problems."

Alex nodded sympathetically and they ate in silence for a while then Jack asked; "What are you going to do while I'm gone?"

"I dunno, study I guess, I have to catch up on my English."

"Why don't you come with us and study at the park? I feel selfish leaving you here with nothing but books for company and that strange neighbor. By the way do you know him, he sure seemed to know you."

"Somebody from work sent to baby-sit me."

"Oh, I see that's good; it will give me some piece of mind if someone's looking out for you. Anyway, you wouldn't get in the way and I think you'd enjoy it. It's quiet and peaceful, something you don't get much of."

"I suppose I will since you insist."

"Great! We'll go pick up the car after dinner and head over to the park from there. Fine with you?"

"Sure, but I need another sandwich, 'cause I was really starved."

"Go ahead; you're still a growing boy despite what MI6 may think."

The drive to the auto shop and to the park was uneventful at best and although Patrick Elton turned out to be much more entertaining than he was handsome, there was still nothing particular about that part of the evening to set it apart as memorable. However the trip back home _was. _As they left one of the parks' gates, the terrifying sound of machine gun fire rang out, initiating immediate panic among the other park goers nearby. The right side of the car was sprayed with bullets, essentially killing whoever was in the passenger seat as far as any bystander was concerned. But Alex wasn't dead at all. As Jack screamed and lost control of the vehicle, it swerved onto the sidewalk and was about to hit an innocent bystander; a woman desperately trying to scrambling out of the way while clutching her screaming infant to her chest, but they weren't going to make it unless Alex did something first. His instincts took over and he grabbed the steering wheel from Jack and told her to duck. Swerving to the right, he barely missed the woman but instead slammed into the fencing along the walk and collided with an oak nearby. The last thing he knew was Jack's screaming and his own before he banged his head in the dashboard with considerable force and blacked out.

* * *

When he came to, he realized he'd only been out for about 4 or 5 minutes because the emergency teams were just arriving. He looked over at Jack to see if she was alright but it didn't seem so; her head was bleeding and he couldn't see her other arm because of the mass of car door it was trapped in. Alex felt a terrible pang of guilt and worry when he saw her. He'd done that to her trying to save the other person and her child, for all he knew they could have still gotten killed anyway. His guilt suddenly turned to rage; he knew Scorpia was behind it. It was there fault this had happened. If they'd just leave him the hell alone none of this would have happened. If Jack died he was going to kill the unfortunate fool who was hired to do it with his bare hands.

Over come with rage he shifted hastily in an attempt to get his other foot free from the car door that had caved in from the force of the assault. But he felt his leg draw painfully across a protruding bullet dent. Noticing all the bullet dents in his door he realized that none had penetrated. Slowly two and two came together and he realized why he wasn't dead right now. Jack said she'd just gotten her tune up a month ago. That was genuine work, but then not long ago MI6 sent someone to sabotage her muffler so she'd have to get it fixed again but this time not only was her muffler replaced but his side door was reinforced with something to with stand gunfire. Something his uncle obviously hadn't been given or else he wouldn't be dead. Alex tried again to escape the crumbled vehicle feeling as though truly nothing was really as it seemed.

Trying to un-jam the door he heard and saw EMTs and fire fighters running over to him and one of them, when he saw the door moving and his face through the shattered glass, shouted to the others; "Thank God! We've got a survivor. Hurry we need to cut him out!" It occurred to Alex then that the vehicle must look decimated from outside. He just hoped that Jack was a survivor too. Two fire fighters removed the locking mechanism and pried the door off. They looked in disbelief at the bullet ridden car door and the relatively unhurt young boy that climbed from the car. Two EMTs came forward to wrap him in a blanket to ward off shock and because it was chilly out and asked if he could remember what happened and whether there were any others in the car too. "Yes, I'm fine. But my friend is in there." He stood up impatiently, remnants of his earlier anger still present. "I wasn't really hurt but my friend Jack is still in the car and I think she's really hurt. There was also a woman and her baby nearby; the reason we crashed is because I tried to avoid hitting them after everything went haywire." "Okay that's good you remember. Do you have any idea who might have done this?" One paramedic was dressing the gash on his head from the impact with the dashboard while a police officer questioned him. Alex anxiously watched the rescue workers working to remove Jack from the car as quickly as possible not hearing the question. "Son, do you know who did this and I need to know your name?"

"His name's Alex and I'll take over the answering from here." A now familiar voice spoke. Finally Alex saw a temporary vent for his built up anger. "OH! A bloody good time you decide to show up. Where are you when you're needed eh?! You get paid to drive behind your charge and stay safe is it? Is that it?"

"Alex, I followed you as soon as I realized you'd left but-."

"As soon as you realized I'd left!! You're bloody well paid to do this stuff; you're supposed to KNOW as soon as I leave! I'll tell you what, you're one hell of a bodyguard you hear me, just fantastic!"

"Sir?" the officer sternly questioned Mr. Devon while Alex stared at the wreckage that Jack was just being pulled from, tears of angry despair clouding his vision.

"Officer I'd prefer if we step away, this is highly confidential information that must be handled accordingly."

As the two men went some distance, Alex watched trying to bite back the tears as Jack was brought to the ambulance on a stretcher, her right arm invisible for all the blood it was covered in and her face pale and bloody, paramedics looming around her as she was wheeled into the ambulance.

"Its alright, hush now, she'll be alright. I can't say the same for her right arm there but she's stabilized and going strong, she'll make it."

Alex took some comfort in the words of the kind EMT standing next to him rubbing his back as he allowed the tears to come. At the moment when they'd pulled her from the car, he thought he'd lost her. But this woman said she would be okay and he saw the proof for himself; she wasn't awake but she was breathing and he didn't see any highly fatal injuries.

"You know, you're a hero tonight. Not one life was lost here, thanks to you the young lady and her son survived virtually unscratched, come see."

She guided him over to where the woman sat hugging her softly crying child to her body as she rocked and hummed a song to him. When she saw Alex her face literally lit up and she stood up to hug him too. After a moment she pulled away and looked at him tenderly. "You saved my life young man, mine and my son Michael's, and for that I'm eternally grateful. I don't know how you survived but I thank God for all our sakes that you did. If ever you need anything at all, I'm in your debt, just call."

Her little son tried to get a hold of his hair while she waited for his reply. Some how Alex got the feeling that she wasn't going to take no for answer and she was so kind and grateful that he couldn't refuse. So he gave her a grateful smile and said. "You're welcome ma'am, and I'll remember your words." She smiled and handed him a piece of paper with her name, address and phone number.

"Well I'm pleased to meet you Ms. Wentworth, my name's Alex."

"I hope we meet again Alex, I know there aren't many people in the world like you. Good bye." She left slowly picking her way through the shards of broken glass to find her car parked some where along the road as her little son waved to Alex over her shoulder. It gave Alex a nice warm feeling inside to see the happy safe look in people's eye when he helped them; it was a rare but happy feeling.

* * *

Four hours later, Alex was gently awoken by a nurse from where he'd been dozing on a waiting room sofa. He became instantly alert and asked if Jack was okay. "Ms.Starbright is doing alright but this is going to be an emotional time for her so it would be good if you could offer her some solace. She has been asking about you."

Alex nodded and followed her as she went towards the elevator.

"What exactly do you mean by an emotional time have there been complications?" He asked uncertainly

"She'd probably prefer to tell you herself."

They came to her door and the nurse who never said her name knocked lightly. "Come in" a tearful voice answered. The nurse gestured to Alex and left him alone.

"Jack?"

Jack was laid back in the hospital bedding awkwardly using her left hand to wipe tears from her eye. Then she used the same hand with a watery smile to beckon him to come closer.

"Come, it's not contagious." He came up to her and hugged her.

"What's wrong Jack? I know you must be in pain and I'm so sorry because it's all my fault but I know something unexpected has happened."

She sniffled and smiled at him touching his cheek "It's not your fault Alex so don't say so."

"Yes it is Jack, they were trying to kill me not you and to make matters worse I caused the car to crash to save that lady and her baby that were in the way, that's why your side of the car slammed into a tree. I couldn't just leave them to be hit but now-"

"Alex I'm proud of you, you put them before yourself and I'm sure they're okay now. I don't blame you at all for what you did. Do you think I would be able to live with myself knowing that you sacrificed two innocent people to save me?"

"No, but-"

"No listen Alex, I know you feel guilty but don't be I can't stand it." She embraced him again tightly. "I want to know though, how did you survive? I heard the assault on your car door and you walked away from the scene, how is it possible?"

"MI6" He didn't feel like mentioning the details. It made him feel more blameworthy; he was spared because he worked for MI6 but because Jack's just a civilian she doesn't count. It infuriated him and she saw the anger cloud his eyes so she didn't press him.

"But Jack I need to know what's going on." Her demeanor immediately changed; although she tried to hide it he saw the tears well up in her eyes.

He took in her appearance more thoroughly to find out for himself; her bandaged head, the cast on her right foot, and then he looked to her right hand and saw what was the problem was, that the problem _was_ going to be hard and emotional, that the problem was it wasn't there.

"I-I'm so so sorry Jack. This should never have happened. Never! That's it, they've gone too far. This is the last straw. We're not putting up with this anymore, NO MORE!"

Alex moved towards the door with a frightening vengeful look in his eyes, a look that said at this point he was capable and willing to do anything including kill.

"Alex calm down. There is nothing to be done right now I'll just have to deal with it, don't go and get yourself killed Alex."

"I already have Jack by doing what I do, this shouldn't have happened to you Jack and I'm not going to sit here and have you in danger of being injured again or worse because I have too many enemies when I'm damn well capable of doing something about it, okay? This maybe goodbye but at least you will know that I am doing everything in my power to keep you safe. I am not going to stand around and have Scorpia ruin anyone else's life when I can stop it. Mine is enough. "

"Alex please." Jack sobbed, "You'll be killed"

"You could be too Jack if I don't do something about this." He could not bring himself to turn to face her because he knew the look in her eye would persuade him to stay.

"But Alex you're just a child."

"Not anymore Jack, not anymore." He paused at the door handle but did not turn back. He hated to leave Jack like, that but he knew he had to do something. It couldn't go on anymore. Jack was without a right arm now, amputated from the elbow down because of his enemies. It was time to take a stance. Just as he left, two older folk, a woman and a man who looked distinctly like Jack looked at him with something close to dislike and entered Jack's room.

* * *

He left the hospital and charged off into the night toward his house through the light flurrying that had begun. When he approached the building, he found it surrounded by MI6 operatives stationed around the house waiting to bring him. Mr. Devon, who stood on the front porch, noticed him and gave a shout to chase him. Alex took off in the other direction, but he wasn't going to get far on foot unless he did something drastic. He sped toward the nearest busy street while some of the men jumped into their vehicles and the rest chased him on foot. When he reached the road he made a dangerous move and ran out into traffic, trying to avoid getting killed or causing an accident, by the time he reached the other side of the road he was still in one piece and he'd bought himself some time. But this little diversion and many others was hardly sufficient to get them off his back; for nearly half an hour the wild chase continued MI6 never letting up, no matter were he hid, they found him like bloodhounds tracking a scent. That was it. He was being tracked; somewhere along the way he'd been bugged with a tracking device.

Up in the expansive branches of his latest hiding place, he stripped down bracing the cold and checked every article of his clothing but found nothing. He dressed again thinking furiously, and then he remembered the ultraviolet pen he received with his ID and decided to check himself over with that; it was possible that they were not visible in normal lighting. Shining the pen on his hand to check the brightness, he was about to check his clothes again when he noticed a multitude of tiny black dots all over his left palm. He scraped one with his nail and it came off. Suddenly he remembered the prickly cold sensation he'd had when he shook Mr. Devon's hand. He hastily scraped them all off in disgust and quickly climbed from the tree. He could hear his pursuers making their way over to his hiding spot confirming his suspicions. He leapt from the tree silently and slinked away, knowing they would think he was still in the tree. Now he had to figure out were he would stay until the morning when he could organize his thoughts and act efficiently, after a moment of thought he concluded that perhaps Ms. Diana Wentworth could help him after all if she was still willing.

* * *

When Alex stepped up on the porch of Ms. Wentworth's Cape Cod after surveying the whole property, he had had plenty of time to think over how he would approach her in asking to stay the night. All things considered, he decided that he would act according to her response to having him turn up at half past midnight asking for a place to stay the night.

If she reacted with any degree of reluctance to see him at this time of night, he'd simply ask to stay on the back porch. However, if she were welcoming to him he would just ask to stay and leave it to her discretion.

It occurred to him to knock instead of ring the bell because the baby would be sleeping so he did. She appeared at the door on the second knock and was definitely shocked when she saw the young boy she had met that night standing shivering on her porch looking exhausted but determined not to show it.

"Goodness child come in side!" she exclaimed and Alex entered gratefully.

"Here, sit down right here and I'll get you a cup of tea." She guided him to her comfortable kitchen and took down a cup from the cupboard. "White, Green or Black?" "Anyone is fine."

"Sugar or straight."

"Sugar, thank you."

She filled the cup with hot water from the water cooler, stirred it and he handed it to him.

"You drink that while I get you a blanket and then you can explain."

"Thank you Ms. Wentworth, you're too kind."

"Call me Diana and there is no such thing as being too kind." she thought for a moment then seemed to snap out of it. "You just stay there, I'll be right back."

When she returned and wrapped him in the blanket, she sat down across from him with her own cup and began.

"Is it safe to assume that your mom was the one I saw pulled from the wreckage?"

Alex gave a small sad smile and shook his head.

"Jack Starbright has been my legal guardian since my uncle died some months ago and my parents have been dead since I was a baby. But now she's been seriously hurt in this and I can't go back to my house."

"You poor child. You must feel so lonely sometimes."

"You have no idea." he answered thinking about his true isolation.

"Well why are you being shot at? Was that an accident as in random?"

Alex knew it would come to this part but he couldn't figure out how to grace the subject. He couldn't really bring himself to lie to this kind woman. He ran his hands through his hair and pulled on his face from the stress of his heavy secret.

"No it's not an accident." he began hesitantly "It's well complicated and I'm really-"

"It's alright Alex you don't have to talk about it. I'm not here to pry and I understand somewhat how you feel because my husband used to do dangerous work and it got him killed not long ago."

"I'm sorry to hear."

"It's alright, he used to be a police officer but he got shot. I've learned that he's never really gone if I remember him always."

Alex nodded

"But how are you going to stay safe if these people are after you-or is it your guardian?"

"It's me. I've been staying basically safe for some time now. What I really need to do right now is lay low while the first part of my-company's- search for me is under way. They really aren't a people who inspire affection in a person under their jurisdiction."

"I understand. Well then, I'll help you anyway I can until you're settled. For now you can sleep in the guest room and I'll prepare you bag in the morning. Come on."

Alex was shocked, when had he come across a more amiable trusting body than this woman before him.

"I-I don't know how to thank you Diana, It's not like-"

"Alex, you saved my life, and my son's at that. I don't take something like that lightly, life is too short as we both know. Besides it wasn't an accident; you put yourself and your guardian in danger to make sure we were safe and look at the repercussions of that. Dishonest people just don't do selfless things like that. So it's the least I can do, okay?"

Alex nodded and headed upstairs with her feeling much heartened.

The next morning he was up bright and early -despite going to sleep at one o' clock am- and was fitted with enough food for a week including hot muffins for this morning and some basic equipment like an umbrella, some clothes from her late husband and 50 euros.

Then she sent him off with a word of advice: try and fit in.

* * *

"We have a situation in central London. A rogue high level MI6 agent is on his way toward airport and it is believed that he intends to reveal highly classified information to enemies of the UK. You are to retrieve the rogue agent whilst maintaining discretion and minimal injury to said agent. The agent is not armed, but he is aware of the fact that he is being watched he's also highly resourceful and unpredictable. All transportation depots west of A202 and south of A302 have been advised to notify the authorities if this individual is seen (here they were shown a picture of Alex) and detain him by any means necessary. The use of high potency tranquilizers is encouraged," after a second of listening through his earpiece the sergeant added "he's been sighted at Westminster subway station on A302. GET MOVING!"

"So let me get this damn straight, this high level MI6 agent gone bad whose trying to bring down the UK because he's mad is Cub? What is the government coming to? We hire kids to keep our deepest secrets now?" Wolf asked in disgust on the way to up to Westminster.

"Apparently they ran out of grown ups." Eagle provided

"All I know is that I don't have time to search for some irresponsible snot-nosed brat that MI6 made the mistake of trusting." Wolverine from the other unit that made up team Blue, commented gruffly

"That's colorful way to put it."

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

"I'm telling you I didn't steal this woman's handbag or anything else for that matter."

"Yes Officer, he did, he's just good at lying. Search him and you'll see."

Alex sighed in exasperation at his misfortune; why out of all the 14 year old boys taking the Tube right now did this old woman have to single him out to accuse of stealing.

"I did not take you're hand bag miss, you must be mistaken." he said slowly and deliberately.

"Yes he did."

"NO I did NOT!"

"Are you calling this woman a liar then?"

"If she is insisting that I took some damn pocket book from her when I didn't then I am!" "That's enough young man. I'd like to search your backpack please."

As Alex began to remove it he noticed that the man kept looking up towards the station entrance and he got a sudden urge to look up there too.

When he did, he saw eight SAS men hastily making their way down the steps and he knew they were after him. It was all a set up to catch him. Accuse him of robbery so he'll miss his train.

He shouldered the pack and bolted towards the next closest exit but they were prepared for him and closing the gap fast especially since the crowd parted to let them past but mainly got in his way.

When he reached a service ladder, he scrambled, up his pulse pounding in his ears. Why would MI6 have sent the SAS he hadn't done anything. They probably had something really unpleasant in store for him.

He was almost there when someone caught his ankle.

"Get back down here you little bastard." Wolverine tugged on his ankle until he lost his grip and fell. Then he grabbed him in a vice like grip while Alex squirmed like crazy.

"We got him." Tiger spoke into his mouthpiece.

"Stop squirming you little worm."

Alex did stop squirming, abruptly, but instead leaned forward and then slammed the back of his head into Wolverine's mouth with enough force to significantly loosen two of his teeth and knock one completely out.

Wolverine spit the tooth and blood out and shouted "Ahh! The little piece of shit! Get him!"

Alex lost no time going in the other direction even though he was seeing stars from the blow to his head, but Fox got in his way in the not too wide passage and blocked his escape. As Fox made to bind him without making the same mistake, Wolverine took aim with his tranquilizer gun and aimed for the jugular vein on Alex's neck that was fluttering like a butterfly.

Wolf realized what he was doing a second too late and by the time he could tell him to stop he'd fired. Alex's eyes widened in shock and pain, as Fox caught him before he could crumble to the ground, his eyes rolled back in his head and his body jerked before he went completely limp, the wound on his neck beginning to bleed profusely.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" Wolf yelled as Snake rushed to make sure he was still breathing and that his neural systems weren't spontaneously shutting down.

"He was acting like an animal so he got treated like one!"

"If you're gonna get bested by a child and then you through a tantrum over it then you don't deserve to be SAS!"

Wolverine clenched his jaw and nodded "Yes Sir."

"You don't shoot intramuscular high potency tranquilizers into a major vein ON A CHILD unless you plan to kill him which we were specifically instructed not to do!"

Then he turned to Snake and Fox, "How is he Snake?" Despite the fact that he told Wolverine that it was because they weren't to injure the kid why he exploded like that, he truly had a sort of respect deep down for the him ever since he saw him at Point Blanc and it occurred to him when they saw him standing by the train getting ready to be searched wrongfully, that there was either some major exaggeration or a mistake. If Cub were the high-level MI6 agent as he was told, he would not do something like that.

"He needs medical attention now. The vein wasn't ruptured thank God, because he'd apparently missed by a few millimeters but it was still nicked so his systems are shutting down from the strength Modecate. If it has knocked him this severely I have no idea how serious the side effects might be. But if it isn't diluted soon his heart will simply stop." Snake said in answer to his question. Fox picked up the child after Snake had carefully removed the syringe and bandaged the wound and they group moved out at a run.

Back in the vehicle, Snake worked on keeping the boy alive. Luckily he had a counter agent to the tranquilizer packed as a precaution against a mistaken shot. He administered that as they made their way toward St. Dominic's.

* * *

Ok people, it's time to do your part. Compare contrast and review!

I neeeeeed to know if this measures up to be better than my other fic.

**Poll**

**A.** Yes definitely better.

**B**. Nope, I like the other better.


	2. A Temporary Home

_**Been a while hasn't it? Actually not really compared to how long some other authors take. Anyway here is Chapter Two. **_

_**I thought it wise to point out a few things here. First of all the name James has been borrowed from Amitai's In Loco Parentis, second this story takes place in the AU that Von created in her story Intermission. Hopefully neither of them mind. **_

_**The Next order of business is to address my anonymous reviewers who had questions or particular comments:**_

**Hails: First the second SAS unit will not be present for the whole story, they were only there for the sake of real world accuracy because in those situations units act in groups.**

**Second many of the supposed coincident were either deliberate plans of MI6 or such, or misunderstandings. These have been fixed for future readers and if you reread chapter one you will see the changes. For example Mrs. Wentworth's husband was a police officer who was shot not a spy. Espionage is not the only dangerous job. ******

**Rater: Thanks for your critism. You have some strong points and I acknowledge that perhaps I did get carried away. However I don't think K-unit as a whole hated him. Wolf is the one who dubbed him Double O Nothing and set out to make him miserable.  
But you must also remember that after the Point Blanc mission something must have changed because Wolf was down right friendly during their interaction and later he actually had the decency to send him a get well card from Baghdad when they heard he was in the hospital.  
And I don't think they disliked him enough to express continued contempt for him even when he is in imminent danger of dying. He is a child and they don't mean to kill him but to bring him in.  
I think Wolf at least has developed a sort of respect for him that may or may not have transcended to the others if they speak regularly.   
As for Snake being the medical expert that was just the product of my imagination.On the whole I'm glad you made those points, it helps me improve my writing and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.  
By the way I am not a chap but rather a lass.**

And now the story, please enjoy!

Alex was in the ICU in a coma. The shock to his nervous systems from the tranquilizer's intrusion in his young body had caused his heart and lungs to shut down among other things.

In order to keep him alive, he was attached to an ECMO1 machine to continue oxygenating his blood. Meanwhile his IV drip included the anti-agent for Modecate to fight it's hold on his systems. Nevertheless, his body was still shutting down little by little.

If after the 48-hour period required to safely infuse his blood with the antidote for the tranquilizer, his body did not begin to come around, it would be safe to assume that it never would and plans for his burial were to be made.

Wolf made his way down the pristine and quiet halls of the hospital towards Alex's room, thinking.

Alex wasn't that bad. He wasn't bad at all. Sure, he had intruded on the established unit that they had and brought a certain stigma to the team with him, but he hadn't wanted to. Even though Wolf had made it clear that Alex was not wanted or welcome there, he had never fussed or complained, and no one in the unit had gotten binned because of him. Wolf least of all, who would have been if it weren't for the literal butt kicking Alex had given him to conquer his fear of heights and get out of the plane.

At Point Blanc, he had to admit, Alex had done his job well. With the information Alex had given him, Wolf and his team were able to save all the boys at the school and stop both villains. He definitely deserved credit. However, all this did not explain the actual worry he was feeling for the kid right now. He was anxious for his recovery.

If he really had done what MI6 said he was doing then perhaps he did deserve this, but Wolf personally had trouble believing that, after seeing the sort of attitude Alex had at the school in France: somewhat reluctant but dutiful.

Passing an elevator, he met Fox coming out.

"What are you doing here?" Wolf asked

"I was just going to see how Cub is doing."

Wolf raised an eyebrow.

"Well I know he wasn't all that much liked back at camp, especially by you, but he stilled pulled his weight. I think he deserves his fair share of sympathy, you know?"

"Yeah, but if he's supposed to be a rogue spy, then why bother?" Wolf felt the need to grill Fox so he could better understand his own feelings.

"I don't know if it's just me but he looked too shocked when we came down there for that to be true. It's like he didn't expect it. Wouldn't an evil spy at be expecting a bust, he can't be that good. Besides, he does not seem like the evil type. "

"I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt; otherwise I guess he gets what he deserves."

Wolf didn't answer but thought over what Fox had said.

They finally came to Alex's room, and with a stern warning from the nurse stationed two doors away, to be quiet, they entered.

The sight before them was not a pretty one. Alex lay on his back with a sheet covering his lower body and numerous electrodes plastered all over his chest. Protruding from his chest and neck, were large seemingly red catheters2 carrying blood to the ECMO machine in the corner of the room to be oxygenated and returned to him in addition to smaller ones in his nostrils. Separating him from the rest of the room was an Aerogel3 and plastic wall to maintain a high temperature on Alex's side of the wall to keep him warm.

As Wolf and Fox came closer, Wolf noted to himself that he had never seen a child with so many cuts, bruises, and scars on his body. However, the bullet scar was not visible. His chest did not rise and fall with breath and the sight of him was overall depressing even for a supposed evil spy.

"Did we do that?" Fox asked in dismay. He would never condemn a child to that, what ever it is they did.

"No, Wolverine did."

Wolf watched, with a stony face, the various machines taking stock of Alex's working and non-working systems and Alex's face seeming to be getting progressively paler.

A split second later Wolf realized that something was wrong.

He nudged Fox; "Go get the nurse, NOW!"

The next second an alarm sounded in the room and an automated female voice said; Leak detected. Leak detected.

The next moment the nurse from before and six other people, burst into the room.

In a flurry of activity that lasted no more than a minute, the doctors, specialists and technicians corrected the error and had things running smoothly once more fortunately he didn't lose much blood. As medical personnel filed out Wolf stopped the doctor to asking him about Alex's condition. The doctor eyed him warily but conceded.

"His situation seems grim; he hasn't responded to any of the medicine we've given him and if when we give him the maximum dosage his body can handle right now, he still doesn't respond, then its time to pull the plug."

"How long is this maximum dosage period?" Fox asked as he watched the still body behind the glass.

"From the onset of the treatment, he has 50 hours max to respond positively. Approximately 8 have passed"

Then doctor looked at them as if for the first time. "Do you know him personally?"

"He's a team mate." Wolf answered

The doctor looked at them quizzical but nodded and went his way muttering; "I'll never understand the way these organizations operate, but God help those unfortunate children."

Wolf shook his head in disgust at the situation and left the room.

On his way out of the hospital, he decided to head over to Liverpool Street to find out exactly what was going on.

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When he entered the lobby, he ran into Tiger from I-unit on his way out.

"You look grim Wolf? You don't feel sorry for that brat do you?"

Wolf ignored him and walked pass

When he got no answer, Tiger laughed harshly "Isn't he the same 'Double O' Nothing that you hated back at camp? Why the change of heart?"

Wolf turned and gave him a very wolfish glare and said, "Let's just say, he earned my respect."

"Really? How? By bending over backwards and kissing you ass? We all know you're impossible to please."

Wolf looked at him with contempt and said

"No, by standing up straight and kicking it."

He savored the look of shock on Tiger's face and stepped into the elevator.

In Blunt's office, he cut straight to the chase, as was his habit, when Mrs. Jones asked what brought him around.

"It concerns Cub's charge."

"Yes?" Mrs. Jones prompted

"From what I've seen of Cub, he doesn't seem to be the type to suddenly get it into his head to bring down his country out of spite. As the leader K-unit, I think I have a right know what exactly is up with the youngest member of my team."

"I understand your concern. Alex is not the most loyal agent we have but he definitely wouldn't betray the UK."

"Then why say so?" Wolf asked testily

"Alex isn't very cooperative at times so we have to use other methods of enlisting his help."

"So to get a hold of him, you send the SAS under the pretense that he's a threat to the safety of the populace." Wolf responded, anger mounting.

"We need his help." She said simply.

"Isn't he a bit young to be doing this sort of work?"

"He has shone himself extremely competent-" she paused to pop another peppermint in her mouth. "-more than once."

"What about parental consent? Don't his parents have anything to say about his wanting to work for you or not."

As of now, Alex has no legal guardians; his family has passed away and his recent guardian is going back to the States. So in answer to your question, no the decision is ours to make."

Wolf thought about this for a moment; Alex, was in a strange situation and his conscience was telling him he needed to do something to help. It was a nasty situation one was in if he was at the mercy of the government.

"So this guardian of his just up and left is what you're saying?"

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Alan Blunt was watching him suspiciously.

"She's going back to the states as a result of a crippling injury."

"So where is he going to stay?"

"If he survives, then arrangements will be made with the hospital to have him stay there until he can be of use or until we find him a suitable temporary guardian. Either way once he is well enough, he will take on the task we have for him."

"And what is that?"

"_That_ is classified information Wolf."

At this point, Mr. Blunt decided it was time to find out were this was going.

"Is there a purpose to all these inquiries Wolf?"

Wolf thought over the question for a few seconds, partly to make Alan wait since he'd never liked him and secondly to really ask himself what he hoped to gain from this.

"Well Alex is in a rather tough situation don't you think? I'm trying to see if I can help him out."

"He doesn't need any help except to wake up and the doctors are doing a fine job."

Somehow, Wolf got the feeling that Alan Blunt wanted him to drop the whole thing and get out of his office. He obviously felt he was a threat to what ever he was planning, and so it was with this assumption that Wolf made a reckless or perhaps simply hasty decision.

"No, I could take him in myself once he's out of hospital until you find someone better."

Blunt was quick to try and dissuade him from that notion in a cold way.

"I hardly think a man of your status has time to look after a sickly teenage boy for any amount of time, because if he does survive, he's not going to be himself for a while, if ever again." A hint of annoyance flickered behind Mr. Blunt's eyes at the mention of Alex's recovery chances but it disappeared as quickly.

"Actually the CRW and CT wings have shifted the troops again so my unit is going to be virtually free for awhile."

"And you feel that you have what it takes to take care for him properly until he's well?"

"If my fiancée agrees then we definitely will for the time it will take for you to find someone more permanent."

Wolf was temporarily hesitant when he mentioned his future wife, Rachel. Recently she'd been talking of moving in with him soon and she was at the house often. If she didn't like the idea then he would not force it upon her, but then again Rachel was a reasonable and caring creature; she'd understand.

Besides Wolf had a sneaking suspicion that Alan Blunt had something nasty in store for Alex and saw his chances of getting Alex grow dim if he was in Wolf's care. Therefore, Wolf decided he was going to find out what it was and stop it. Cub deserved that much.

Blunt realized that to further disagree, was to raise more questions than he wished to answer and Wolf was not a timid man, so he conceded.

"Alright, Alex will stay with you, if your fiancée agrees, until we either find him well enough to work or until we find somewhere preferable. However, keep in mind that you will be under constant surveillance in case there is an ulterior motive to your good will. You have 24 hour to confirm your decision."

"Expect me back before then." Wolf said as he dismissed himself.

He knew that Blunt did not suspect him of foul play, but that Wolf suspected him of it and that he might try to pry it out of Alex.

He left and went straight home to the two story Victorian house Rachel had persuaded him to buy in Kentish Town; said she planned to fill it with children.

Feeling starved, he hoped that it was one of those evenings when she came over and really cooked.

"Rae, you here?" he asked as he opened the door, but he hardly needed asked since the smell from the kitchen spoke for itself.

"You'd better get in here before all the foods finished you prat." Eagle's voice spoke.

Wolf hung his coat on the hook in the foyer and entered the kitchen.

"What the heck are you three doing in my house?" he asked in a low-level growl when he saw the rest of K-unit stuffing there faces.

"I invited them since you had me thinking that my good cooking was going to waste being so late."

"And since we had no one to feed us then we gladly accepted." Fox concluded

"Yeah right, she planned to have you guys over 'cause she knows how pathetic you are."

He decided as he sat down, seeing how much she had cooked.

"How was your day?" Rachel asked as she gave him a steaming plate and a peck on the cheek.

"Hmm…different." he paused a moment "and I think I might have made a hasty decision."

"How so?" she asked interestedly, sitting down next to him with her own food.

"First, let me ask you a question and give me your honest answer; how would you feel about a 14 year-old boy staying here for a few weeks?

She looked at him strangely while Eagle and Snake choked on their food and Fox just stared.

"It depends on what he's like and why would he need to come."

"Do you remember the kid I told you about who was a part of our unit during training some months back?"

"You mean Cub? Ben and Adrian told about your meeting him today and what happened. Poor child, why a kid would do something like that is beyond me."

"Just how much did they tell you?"

"They just said he basically tried to bring terrorist into the country through the power bestowed upon him by his employers and that he got a fatal shot with a tranquilizer in the process. Now he's in a coma. I still feel sorry for him despite what he did."

"That's a good way to put it. But the worst thing about it is that he didn't do that or anything else for that matter."

Fox's face grew dark "You mean you went and talked to _them _about it?"

"Yeah and you'd be surprised to find out just how unjust they really are."

"What do you mean unjust? They just up and out of the blue decide to accuse him of bullshit and send us in like a bunch o' jackasses to shoot him down?" Snake asked.

Rachel looked at Wolf questioningly, her eyes see blue eyes ablaze. She was wonderfully gracious when she was in a good temper, but when she was angry she was aflame, and nothing ignited her more that dishonesty and injustice especially to children.

"Worst, it's because he isn't exactly cooperative as they put it, when it comes to working for them, why they use these sorts of dangerous methods to bring him in."

"Then why the hell don't his parents do something about it. I was wondering why the blast would someone send their barely teenage son to SAS training." Snake wanted to know

"That's the thing; he has none. No more family and no guardian. The kid is alone in the world."

"I don't believe this!" Rachel exclaimed in rage. "So where do they intend for him to stay once he's discharged?" she demanded.

"Said they'd arrange with the hospital for him to stay till he can 'be of use', but I don't believe that they're actually going to wait until he's recuperated; I mean he's going to be out of commission for at least a month and the hospital doesn't exactly have beds reserved for those who hardly need them. But if no one is found or volunteer's to take him in then he's left to the mercy of the people he doesn't want to work for."

Rachel was indignant. She got up and paced about for a second then asked in a decided way. "When is he to be discharged, assuming he wakes up?"

"I have no idea. The doctors aren't even sure he'll live."

"If and when he wakes up you're going to take me to see him so I can get an idea of the kind of boy he is, but I believe he's coming here at any rate so I'll prepare the guest room for him."

She sat back down to finish the meal, marginally calmed.

Wolf nodded in agreement "I have to carry your answer back by tomorrow evening to confirm it, but you should know that we'll be under surveillance."

"Fine, tell them we'll still do it gladly."

"Good."

"I can't see why you'd say you made a hasty decision; you made a damn good one if you ask me." Eagle commented.

"Yeah" Rachel agreed.

Wolf shrugged "I wasn't too sure how you'd react." He said to Rachel.

Rachel gave him a withered look "You've known me for three years and you still don't know me."

"You're unpredictable."

Later when the others were leaving, Snake said something to Wolf before he closed the door that he hadn't considered. "Good luck persuading him to believe it's for the better good mate and not another underhanded plan against him."

Wolf nodded and decided to leave that to Rachel.

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By the next Thursday, Alex was showing signs of making a full recovery. He was awake and alert. There was very little memory loss and reasoning and cognitive abilities were almost completely up to par and would be in a few days time. His body was little by little over coming a wide spread paralysis as he body purged the toxins from his system, starting from his neck with full mobility to a faint tinge his fingers. He also was not in the mood for any visitors once he found out from Mrs. Jones that Jack was now gone back to the States permanently. The loving audio message she left for him, since she couldn't see him, as a good-bye, helped to ease the feeling of lonely abandonment but he was still very irritable especially since he still had no idea, no thanks to Jones, why the SAS had been sent to capture him. It had to be something bad why she wouldn't speak of it and it infuriated him to no end.

So it was little wonder why he answered the knock at his door in such a crabby manner.

When Wolf and Rachel reached the door of his room in Recovery, Wolf was about to simply step in but she grabbed his shoulder and hissed at him. "Don't be daft. You're supposed to knock."

He sighed and knocked loudly on the door.

"Who is it?" Alex's testy voice answered

Wolf looked slightly taken aback, but only slightly.

"Wolf."

There was a few seconds pause

"What do you want?" more annoyed than before.

Wolf looked at Rachel in exasperation; this was nonsense. But she just shrugged.

"To talk to you."

"About what?"

"Cub if you don't stop this crap I'm going to-"

"You're going to what? Have your men shoot me again. Not interested, go away."

"I'm not going to stand out here and have this conversation Alex, let up." Wolf answered sternly

"What part of go away don't you understand? I'm not interested!" Alex shouted, but the shout in it self had little power because his lungs were still weak.

"He's going to aggravate himself James. Lets come back when he not so angry." Rachel suggested

"No. He's going to listen to reason." And with that Wolf opened the door anyway. When he saw Alex he concluded that he definitely looked better than when he last saw him but the exhaustion and wariness showed plainly in his face along with an unhealthy dose of rage.

"I said go away, not come in. You're not even alone. You cannot simply say that you have someone with you, another trick eh! I don't have anything to say to you and your bunch so you're wasting your time!" Alex glared wickedly at him from his propped up position in bed. Wolf had never seen this side of Alex but he suspected that it was a temper to be reckoned with when he was well, not unlike Rachel's.

However, Wolf essentially ignored the outburst and said calmly as he sat down at the foot of the bed. "Sure but I've got plenty to tell you and you're going to listen and when I'm finished you're going to be glad you did."

Instead, Alex closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, but Wolf began anyway.

"First, I want to say I'm glad you're alright. That business with the tranquilizer was never supposed to happen." He waited for a response but there was none. Alex was adamant.

"And I have some good and bad news for you."

"So you're not going to introduce the lady you sneaked in are you?" Alex asked with his eyes still closed.

Wolf was momentarily silenced while Rachel smirked behind him.

Stepping forward she said graciously;

"If you would allow me the privilege of looking you in the eye I could introduce myself."

Alex opened his eyes and looked at her to see if she was making fun or not, but she wasn't.

"Rachel Bertrand, nice to meet you." She said stretching out her hand for him to shake it but he just looked at it.

"Sorry, my body refuses to do what it's told, it just ignores me; temporary paralysis the doctor calls it. But the name is Alex Rider." He said instead.

Retracting her hand, she said "Sorry to hear but a pleasure having your attention. I totally understand why you're so mad at him but it's not how seems, give him a chance to explain." She added jerking her hand towards an annoyed Wolf.

Although Alex was somewhat softened he was still irritable so ignoring her last statement, he asked, "Who exactly are you? As in do you work with Wolf or for MI6 because you seem to know more than you let on?"

"Actually I'm James's fiancée and he's told me a lot about you."

Alex looked mildly surprise, but stayed silent

After a moment of silence he said "Actually I do have a question for you." A look of frustration crossed his eyes. "What did I do? I know MI6 was after me, probably for some crazy mission but why send the SAS and why did this have to happen?" He gestured vaguely to the hospital room with his eyes. "It just doesn't add up, and what ever it is that they've accused me of I'm sure I have proof that I didn't do it." A kind of desperation came into his face as if begging not be told again that he would find out later.

Rachel looked at Wolf for a second and he started.

"Well Alex the truth is you haven't done anything." Confusion clouded Alex's face. "You see the whole thing was a scheme set up by MI6 to bring you in for some mission but it back fired. Down in the subway we were to use the tranquilizer dart to knock you out and bring you in but one of the men under my command, the one you socked, he got mad and deliberately hit you like that, it knocked you straight into a coma." He paused seeing the raw rage in Alex. His eyes were bright with it and you could see his body struggling to overcome the paralysis, anger driving him to throw or hit something.

"What did they tell you?" he said in a dangerously low voice.

"They said that you had been trying to reveal vital information about England to our enemies."

When Rachel saw Alex's reaction she said, "I don't think you should have told him that."

"He deserves to know what they did."

Alex looked as though he wanted to kill someone. "So allow me to get this straight, MI6 wants me to come in and go on some mission for them that is obviously so dangerous and outrageous that they can't simply ask. I do so much for them even though I never wanted to, but they lie to the SAS so that they will come for me under the pretense that I am a very dangerous person repay me and then I get shot in the neck because someone lost their temper." He asked loudly, his right hand twitching violently.

"Yep." Wolf responded

Alex looked at Wolf long and hard and then he laughed and laughed and laughed.

Wolf and Rachel thought he had gone mad, but after a minute of this, he stopped and said seriously, "Alan Blunt and Tulip Jones have made their last mistake concerning me. I will be sure to make that clear to them when I see them after I'm discharged, end of discussion."

"I don't think that's all the bad news you had for me so what else?" He continued

"Well I'm not sure if you know about your guardian heading back to the States."

Tiredness came over his face that made them realize just how weak and weary he was.

"Yes I know, Mrs. Jones told me that Jack's parents persuaded her to come back home with them, after what happened I can't say I blame them."

"What did happen?" Rachel asked gently

"An attempt on my life by my arch enemies that I care not to mention, but in the process of trying to avoid bigger problems, I caused Jack to lose her arm below the elbow." He sighed heavily "She's safer away from me. I'll take care of myself."

Rachel could not imagine how he must feel, all of these things coming down on his head mercilessly. She touched his shoulder in a gesture of kindness and he nodded his thanks.

"So what kind of good news could you possibly have?" he asked

"Well I know you're good at the looking after yourself stuff and all, but after you leave the hospital you're not going to be able to for a little while; you're going to need someone to help you." Alex began to realize why Wolf was here in the first place, why he'd brought his fiancée and why they'd been looking at him so critically and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"So Rachel and I decided that for the time being you could come and stay with us. Regain your strength get you're bearings and relax a bit, you need it badly."

Alex's expression was unreadable for the moment so he continued, "But since you can't seem to stand the sight of me I'm not sure if that's going to work." Wolf tried to lighten the mood somewhat hoping to cheer him up a bit.

"No it's not that I can't stand you, I was angry before you came because no one would answer any of my questions, and then I felt, well, kind of betrayed so I didn't want to see you."

"What do you mean?"

"I kind of had it that it was an established fact that we were both on the same side. No one trying to bring anyone down, you know, mutual respect. Then when I saw you and your unit coming to haul me off for what I saw as no reason, I felt like 'what happened'. But now I know what was going on and I don't blame you at all, but I want to ask, how come you're doing this for me? And you" he addressed Rachel "You don't even know me."

"Alex you need help and we are capable and willing to give you it. After all the things that you have done and been through, I do not think you deserve to be left alone like that. I am going to help you until you don't want or need my help anymore; it's not a whole lot to ask of me. Consider it helping a friend in need."

"And a friend of James is a friend of mine. So don't worry Alex you're in good hands." Rachel added.

Alex took this in and smiled genuinely for the first time since the visit. "Thanks. That means a lot."

The door opened and a nurse walked in, when she saw Alex smiling, she stopped short and grabbed her chest. "You've bewitched him. All we poor nurses know that he was as mad as a hippo with a hernia not to long ago and now you've got him beaming. What ever you did, I hope it last." She said cheerily coming over to check him out again.

Wolf and Rachel stepped back to give her space and the nurse kept up a steady stream of chatter while she worked.

"You're doing well young man, at this rate you'll be out of here by early next week."

"Really?" Alex asked hopefully

"Yep. Try and move your arm for me please."

His right hand was still vibrating but he could move it somewhat. His left hand still stubbornly refused to work.

"Excellent, very good, they're coming around. Are you comfortable, hungry, itchy, what?"

"Now that you mention it I am famished."

"Alright then, food it is, I'll have the cafeteria send you a detailed menu and you choose what ever you want."

When she left Rachel asked with a sly smile, "How many nurses do you have Alex, because with such a handsome patient in this ward I'm sure they're all clamoring for a chance to be of service to you."

He laughed, "I think six, I haven't seen the same nurse twice yet."

"I thought so." she laughed

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By Monday afternoon Alex was pass ready to leave and the doctors had finally granted his wish. At this point, he had total control of his upper and lower body. He was still a little unsteady and fine tuned movements like writing and eating with utensils were still rather elusive but his doctor said that if he followed his instructions carefully, within a month time he would be as good as new. Therefore, when Wolf finally arrived to pick him up he neither hesitated nor lingered. Rachel must have been right about his nurses too, because all seven of them gave him a personal good-bye to the immense annoyance of Wolf who had to stand by and wait. One pretty young one even kissed him on the cheek. When they left him alone at last, Wolf began pushing his wheelchair towards the exit again. "Can't I just walk? My muscles are getting lazy from all the down time?" Alex nearly whined.

Wolf ignored the question and instead asked "So you want to stop at Liverpool Street first you said?"

Alex was instantly serious again "Yeah and I'd rather you don't come in though, if you don't mind. It's kind of personal."

"No problem at all. I can't stand looking at his face for too long anyway." They both smirked as they entered the black Hummer that belonged to Wolf.

In room 1605 of the Royal and General Bank, sat Mrs. Jones talking quietly with Mr. Blunt about serious matters then there was a sharp knock at the door.

"Alex Rider"

"Enter" Mr. Blunt answered

In came a somewhat slimmer pale faced boy leaning slightly on the door for support as he made his way to the chair in front of the desk and sat down.

"Well Alex what a pleasant surprise, we were just talking about you. What brings you around?"

The look on Alex's face could be described as secret triumph as he told Mr. Blunt what he was there for.

"I'm here to tell you I quit." He stated in an emotionless voice.

"Alex we've had this conversation before and the answer is the same; you're too good at what you do to, so the answer is no we aren't letting you go."

"You misunderstand me Mr. Blunt I wasn't asking for leave, I am taking it." In the same deadly voice

Blunt realized there was something different about Alex, but he refused to acknowledge.

"As a child, Alex you have no say, understand?"

"I understand Mr. Blunt" he answered "but I don't think you understand what I'm saying. Perhaps if I elaborate you will."

"The simple fact of the matter is that you and Mrs. Jones have abused me enough, especially in this last week, so I want no more part in what you do."

"Perhaps you'll change your mind when you see just how important this mission is."

Alex smiled sympathetically at Mr. Blunt as though at a misguided child. "You're welcome to try."

"I'm sure you realize that Scorpia is hell bent on killing you." there was no smart aleck comment from Alex; Mrs. Jones noted worriedly, only stony silence. "Well they have been more so lately because they see you as a threat to there latest scheme. They have given the British government exactly one month to make an impossible decision; break all ties with America, switch our diplomatic status to enemy, and supply the whole Al Qaeda regiment in Iraq with powerful state of the art weapons, or have the population of England cut by a third by the end of the year."

Alex remained completely still except for his vibrating right hand, through out the narration and although the look of triumph had left his face it was still set with stony, silent determination and no interest in what Blunt said. Deep down he was worried about it but he wouldn't show he cared.

Blunt continued, "As you already know, Scorpia doesn't make idle threat so this is serious. The only ways to infect that many people is through a water or air supply and we know that schools are to be the target distributors of the virus. The children would spread it to their parents and so on. What we need you to do is simply go to school and be vigilant."

But as Blunt finish detailing the mission to Alex, Mrs. Jones realized that it was no use; Alex didn't care anymore, he wasn't going to help."

"I ask you Mr. Blunt, should the Head and Deputy Head of MI6 Special Operations be stupid enough to leave the fate of millions of innocent people in the hands of a fourteen year-old boy? What if he is sick, or dies?"

No answer

"Consider that, to be the case with me. Because if I am the only person in the whole of England who can prevent this disaster from happening, then England is in a sorry state indeed. Now I will say it again; I. Quit. Good day."

With that last cold statement, Alex made his way unsteadily through the door.

"He'll reconsider." Mr. Blunt stated in a confident tone that belied his true feelings.

"No Alan, he won't and you know it. If you wait for him to reconsider then many innocent people are going to die. What we did to him has finally drove him over the edge, he's not coming back." Mrs. Jones argued.

Alan nodded and came to decision, "Call in our next best operative. He'll have to do until Rider gets over his temper."

When Alex got down to the lobby, he was changed from the confident boy that went up. Tired and burdened is how he looked and Wolf saw it when he came over to help him to the truck. He asked about it but all he got was "Nothing", so he left him be.

He was silent through out the drive until he snapped because Wolf wouldn't stop glancing at him.

"Will you just look at the damn road so we don't crash?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he bit his lip, regretting them. "I'm sorry Wolf I didn't mean to snap not at all it's just…"

"What happened in there?" Wolf asked in a no nonsense tone.

"It isn't safe to talk here."

"You think you're the only one with secrecy issues?"

"I-I just don't want to talk about it right now."

"Okay when you're ready then."

They rode the rest of the way in silence until they reached the house.

"Nice place." Alex commented

"Thanks, just bought it."

Wolf hung up both their coats and led Alex to the kitchen. "You hungry?"

"Yeah I'll eat whatever you got." Alex sighed as he sat down at the table.

After Wolf made up some chicken soup for them and after they had been to eating a bit, he asked about the meeting again.

Instead of answering Alex concentrated on using his left hand to eat the soup because his right shook too much.

"Alex." Wolf prompted

He sighed "They told me about the mission they wanted me to do for them."

"And?"

"I know I shouldn't feel like this but they make it sound as if, if I don't do it then no one can and then I'll be responsible for the death of millions of people."

"Alex no one can hold responsible for that if it happens because no one person should have that responsibility. Who's trying to kill millions of people?"

"The same people who've been trying to kill me for about a month now. But I can't go into detail about it."

Wolf felt sympathy for the boy before him. Exhaustion showed all over his face and he looked as if the world was coming down on his shoulders. Perhaps that was how he felt right now. Anyhow Wolf thought it best he retire to bed.

"Come on, you're beat. You'll probably feel better in the morning." He pulled him up from the chair as he made no indication that he intended to move but he didn't resist either. He showed him to his room, gave him his required injections and tablets and generally made sure he was okay.

"Thanks Wolf. I really appreciate it."

"Sleep, you'll feel better when you do."

Later on when Rachel came over, she saw Wolf sitting in the living room sofa looking through a thick folder.

"Hi, how was your first day with him?"

"Not bad but he's not kidding when he says he's done a lot for them. See how thick his file is." While Rachel sat down next to him to see for herself, Alex was upstairs standing on the balcony of his room in the cold thinking about his predicament, none of them aware of the fact that they were being carefully watched by a very dangerous group indeed.

"We have the subject in our sights sir."

"Excellent." A very evil voice answered.

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Nice and long with a cliffe eh. Don't worry I won't leave you hanging long. First though tell me what you think I really, really need to know.

The fans of my other story Why Me? will be glad to know that the longest and last chapter should be up by some time next week. Yay!

That's it for now, night folks


	3. Getting Acquainted

**(sighs) Another long chapter finally complete. Before you delve in I want to thank everyone who has review so far especially for chapter one. 25 reviews for one chapter were very inspirational. Second a special thanks to Amitai for her extremely helpful and inspirational reviews for both of my stories. **

**And now one request: if you have something to say please do come forward and say it, good or bad. Reviews are the fuel I put in my writing machine when I start it up. When I run low on them I can't get it going. Also the constructive critism kind are like sort of upgrade for the machine. I write better when I get them. Don't think I'll be offended; I won't. The really help me.**

**Note: chapter names have been switched.**

**Anyway enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I' don't own it. **

"I want you to keep it that way. Find out where he sleeps, where he eats, when he eats, when he bathes, when he leaves the house, every single habit that the boy has and then when the time is right, capture him and bring him to me. I want no mistakes. Use any means necessary, but do not get caught and do not kill him. Failure will result in termination of the entire team. Do I make myself absolutely clear?"

The lead operative in the group answered for them all; "Crystal clear sir."

"Very good." There was a faint sound of female laughter in the background before a loud click.

* * *

Alex lay on his back listening to the sound of the neighborhood church chiming 7' o clock for a moment before he decided to get up. He'd thought about his decision long and hard while standing on the balcony last night and he had come to the conclusion that it would be better for him if he completed this last mission first and then quit. That way he wouldn't be gambling with the lives of millions of people. He just didn't feel that they had truly let go of him. They were waiting, bidding their time until perhaps it was too late. Perhaps it was conceited of him to think so but he couldn't shake it.

After showering, he changed into a black turtleneck and jeans and quietly padded down the hall towards the stairs to head to the kitchen for a bite to eat before he left.

Upon entering the spacious kitchen, he found that it wasn't empty. but that Wolf sat at the table with a cup of coffee, sifting through the mail.

"Morning Wolf." Alex greeted him hesitantly. The look on his face wasn't exactly friendly and Alex couldn't be quite sure who or what it was directed at.

Wolf looked up from a particularly aggravating letter and nodded at Alex "Morning"

"Um is it okay if I get a cup of coffee too?" Alex asked tentatively. He still felt edgy around Wolf for his own hidden reasons that sometimes not even he could identify immediately.

"Sure, there's some more in the coffee maker."

"Thanks." Alex answered as he poured himself a cup; black and strong.

After a few minutes the silence became awkward. Wolf glanced at Alex for a second before he asked; "So um, feel better now?"

Alex looked blank for a second then he realized what Wolf was referring to.

"Um yeah, I thought about it last night and I do feel… um better." He answered carefully

"That's good."

A few moments more of silence passed before Rachel, fully dressed and cheerfully humming to herself, walked in. Alex noticed her appearance properly for the first time since meeting her.

As she greeted both of them with a jovial 'good morning' and a kiss on the cheek for Wolf, Alex noted that her dark blue eyes seemed to always be smiling. It help that she had a softly curved face framed by long, black, slightly curled hair giving her a gentle look. She was rather tall and slim with an impressive tan that brought attention to the startling blue of her eyes and when she laughed you almost had to smile as well. She was overall an attractive woman with an attractive personality.

And now she was considerately asking Alex how was his first night.

"Um, it was good thanks. Definitely more comfortable than hospital beds and I like the way how there's a balcony in the room; it's a good place to think."

"I'm glad to hear it." Then to both of them. "So any of you hungry for an omelet and some scones this morning?"

"You know full well that there's no need to ask." Wolf said mock annoyed

"You're right; you've been waiting for breakfast since you got up haven't you?" Rachel laughed "Well then get over here and help me with it; it's not free today."

"I wonder why." Wolf answered and started by gathering some eggs.

As the breakfast preparation progressed, Alex felt sadly out of place. He felt like an intruder in a friendly yet strange environment. He decided to just quietly leave and catch up on a bit of homework until it was ready. Rachel caught him sneaking out the door and called him back.

"Alex I was just wondering if you wanted to help me cut these scones out. Many hands make light work right?"

"Okay, um sure." He pushed up his sleeves and washed his hands before grabbing a round cookie cutter to help cut out the onion cheddar scones she had rolled out on a smoothed wooden board.

When they were in the oven, she thanked him. "Thanks, I'm just going to ask you to do one more thing if you don't mind."

"Of course not."

"Well, your doctor recommends that you do some rigorous exercise like jogging for about 15 miutes everyday to speed up the recovery of your muscle tone. Since it will be about 20 minutes before this is ready I was thinking you could join James in his morning run."

"Rachel, I usually run alone." Wolf argued

"That's alright." Alex said quickly "I understand if he wants to run alone. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Well I can't send you alone at some other time of the day." Rachel said looking confusedly at Wolf "Why not let him come with you for now, I'm sure he wouldn't bother you if that's what you think." She said reasonably. She'd only just met Alex but he didn't seem like the bothersome type.

Wolf looked at him for a moment, then agreed.

"Alright, as long as you don't talk and you keep up."

Five minutes later they were off.

"I'm going to have to take a shorter route 'cause I don't think you can handle the ten kilometers I usually run right now." Wolf stated as they jogged down the street.

"You don't have to Wolf." Alex answered evenly "I'll keep up" He wondered if he'd told him this to make him feel bad since he'd already intruded or was it a casual statement, but he dismissed the thought as it became clear after 3 kilometers that he was going to have to struggle to keep up.

Fifteen minutes and 7 kilometers into the run, Wolf realized that Alex was struggling. He wasn't stumbling or markedly slow but his face was deathly pale and he was way too short of breath. Wolf slowed to a stop to let him catch up. When he did he was heaving for breath like someone who'd narrowly escaped drowning.

"You okay?" Wolf asked in an almost concerned voice.

"Yes….I'm…Fine…" Alex motioned for Wolf to keep going and he'd catch up.

"Alex you can barely breathe, chill for a few seconds."

No… we've probably spent… more time… than necessary… out here" Alex answered deliberately

Wolf took the hint and started up again. He hadn't realized that Alex had taken his reluctance for company so offensively. It wasn't that he resented Alex's company particularly; it was more that he hadn't wanted _anyone's_ company. Actually he didn't regret letting him tag along unless the boy collapsed on him from being stubborn.

He kept a watch on him for the remaining 3 kilometers and noted that he could barely stand by the time they jogged up to the side door at the kitchen. Alex leaned against the wall to catch his breath, exhausted but glad to have completed the course despite what Wolf had thought. A few minutes later he found that he had developed quite an appetite and that Rachel's food was surprisingly good.

"I'm glad you like it Alex, there's more if you want it." Rachel beamed as he finished his second helping.

"Thanks but I'm full now." Alex said as he got up to wash his plate. He felt more at ease when only Rachel was in the room, not because he didn't like Wolf or anything like that, but he wasn't quite sure where he stood with the man; obviously Wolf didn't hate him anymore, but what was his status now, certainly not liked. Until he fully understood, he couldn't help but be edgy around him.

"So what did you plan to do today?" Rachel asked conversationally

"Well, um, first I'm going to catch up on some homework and then if I have time I was going to visit a friend of mine." Alex truly did not want to lie to her, but he knew he couldn't tell her about his decision to go back to MI6 for this mission; she just wouldn't understand. He decided to call on Tom so it would at least be partly true.

"That's good. I've got some errands to run too. I'll be back later today." Rachel answered. Just before she left, she said "You know Alex I'm glad you've come to stay with us. I think, given enough time, we could become real friends." Alex sat awhile more at the kitchen table thinking before he went to his room to get his books.

* * *

About two hour later, Alex immerged from his room surprised and frustrated at how tired he had been after an hour of homework; he could barely think and the persistent tremor in his right hand had made it impossible to write. He was definitely weaker than he'd thought. As he made his way down the steps he heard the door bell ring.

Wolf got up from his computer in the family room to open the door as Alex came in. After a bit of talking he brought back a large package, about the size of a CRT monitor box.

"It's for you." Wolf told him as he set the box down "From someone by the name of Smithers."

"Smithers?" Alex exclaimed examining the box

"You know him?" Wolf asked as he took out a blade to cut the tape with.

"Yeah, he's the gadget guy at MI6." Alex was rather excited to find out what had Smithers sent him.

He opened the box and found a letter on top and various smaller boxes in side. He decided that he'd check out the contents of the small boxes and then consult the letter for their respective functions.

He opened all the boxes with Wolf watching over his shoulder and laid out their contents; he had a very strange bundle of items;

A black muffler and gloves to match, two smoke detectors, a flashlight, a camera flip phone, a digital journal and pen, and a Microsoft Xbox 360.

Alex looked at the lot of gadgets in amusement and then opened the letter;

**Hello Old Chap,**

I heard about your resignation and I must say I'm going to miss you dear boy as will a good deal of other people whom you probably don't know. Consider the assortment of items before you, a parting gift, one that will provide you with a certain measure of piece of mind and a means with which to keep in touch incase you see something interesting. The description of each is below. (Sorry old boy still no weapons)

**Smoke detectors**- two innocent looking video cameras and highly sensitive motion sensors. Taking out the batteries will trigger vidcam mode and reversing the position of the batteries will initiate the motion meter mode. If even a spider moves within the same room as the detector, you'll be notified via the small white remote included. An excellent way to keep tabs on any unauthorized business in your room perhaps.

The **Flashlight** on the other hand is a means of keeping others from spying on you. Asides from being handy in a dark place, it's also very effective at wiping out listening devices. Just aim the beam of light at any item that could house a recording system but shouldn't- say the rug- and then hold down on the on button. The beam will become slightly blue as the device emits a high energy sound beam to essentially fry the sensitive components on the unfortunate piece of machinery. You should hear a small pop if you succeed.

The **Muffler and gloves** are rather neat. They serve a double purpose of keeping your ears and fingers from freezing when out doors and conveniently allowing you to listen in to a private conversation too. Pressing the fingertips of the gloves to any door or wall less than .5 meter thick will activate the sound amplifiers in them and you should be able to hear clearly what is going on in the room through the disguised earphones of the muffler.

The **camera flip phone** is just that; a state of the art media flip phone. But if you ever decide there is something you'd rather we have a look at then just dial the number of the preloaded contact 'April Summers' after you've taken the picture and it will be mailed straight over.

Now even if you don't enjoy **journal** writing this little **digital** one comes in real handy if you ever come across a piece of information that we need to have. Just write or draw the message on the crystal clear image screen using the special pen and then hit save three times. The message will be sent straight to us and the original destroyed. It also conveniently folds into the visage of a wallet to escape suspicion.

Now I know I've only given you information gathering equipment it seems but this last one is solely for your piece of mind. I know you're not a heartless chap just rather tired so I know you'd be able to rest easy if you knew what was going on with missions. So against orders I've designed a **video game console and game** for your enjoyment that secretly grants you high level clearance information on this specific mission and future others. Basically while playing the game a password will be hidden in each level that allows you to pass to the next but upon receiving the prompt for the level two password, if you enter the following fourteen digit number you'll be granted limited access to our systems for about three minutes. During that time you can find out a few things that will put your mind at rest before the program terminates and sends you to level two. The following number is a very classified piece of information; follow the procedures to destroy this paper once you've memorized it. **NEVER WRITE IT DOWN.**

24170013436111

Farewell old boy and take care of yourself

Your friend

R.P. Smithers

**Destruction Procedures**

Touch the solid blue squares on each of the items individual boxes to the matching blue tab below, then and only then will the paper ignite and burn to ash. Discard ashes afterward, they can make you cough.

Smithers

Alex laughed at the end of reading the letter and proceeded to memorize the secret number before destroying the paper all together. He decided that as soon as he set up the game and checked on the mission, he'd sweep the house for listening device and install the smoke detectors with Wolf's consent of course.

After he carried all his stuff up to his room, he set up the game and proceeded to work his way through level one. The game itself was surprisingly fun and he managed to lose him self in it until the password screen appeared. Then he remembered why he was there and entered the password as he remembered it.

**Access granted **

Swiftly navigating through the system he found out that apparently Special Ops had taken him seriously and had instead employed Agent Lance Betriss as a janitor at a school whose name was not reveled. He had so far found evidence of tampering in the basement of the school but as of yet no equipment. There were also agents stationed at various other high density locations throughout Britain. Apparently they didn't need him after all so he was free to be a kid instead. A relieving thought.

He closed the game and after using the flashlight to check the room for bugs and finding it clean, he gathered it and one smoke detector and set out ask Wolf about the rest of the house. He found him in the cellar sitting at a table apparently building something. Alex silently surveyed the room in admiration while Wolf was still unaware that he was there. It seemed that Wolf had a rather interesting hobby; building and racing remote control ships.

There were a few models on display around the room that caught Alex's attention, like a virtually perfect replica of the battle cruiser HMS Invincible and a couple others of either original design or a model unfamiliar to Alex. There were also two plaques fastened to the wall for races or battles he'd apparently won. Alex was reading one such plaque when Wolf spoke.

"How long have you been standing there?" He asked in a rather stern voice. It was annoying the way how the boy seemed to be able to sneak about the house like a cat unnoticed.

Alex spun around in surprise and reddened slightly in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I've only been here for a minute." He explained "I was just going to ask if it's okay for me to check the rest of the house for listening bugs. Not you or Rachel's rooms of course." He added quickly "Just the regular rooms."

Wolf softened somewhat and began to turn back to his work. "Yeah, okay, let me know if you find anything."

"Okay"

Nearly two hours later, Alex was satisfied that the house was free of at least listening devices. He was kind of surprised that he hadn't found even one.

Perhaps Scorpia thought they had succeeded in their last attempt to kill him; it was possible. Maybe he could live a normal life after all. While he came up from the cellar thinking these things, he heard voices in the sitting room. Obviously Rachel was back from her errands and Wolf was talking to her.

"No, I didn't forget. It just isn't a big deal anymore. You get one year older and that's it, regular day."

"Well as far as I'm concerned it is special, so I got you something all the same. I hope you like it though; it isn't refundable."

Alex carried his stuff upstairs to his room slightly amused; he'd forgotten that Wolf was a regular man with likes, dislikes and a birthday. Today was October 19th and as Alex put the stuff away he wondered just how old Wolf was now he didn't think he could be much older than 26. He was debating whether it would be wise to keep quiet about it or casually congratulate him, when he heard the individual in question call him.

"Alex"

Alex came to the top of the stairs.

"Yeah?"

Strangely Wolf had a smile on his face "Come here; I want to show you something."

A mystified Alex followed Wolf into the sitting room where he saw a beautiful dog that looked distinctly like a wolf, frisking around the room exploring everything.

"What do you think Alex? Based on the fortnight you spent with him, do you think an exotic Czechoslovakian Wolfdog would suit James as a birthday present? I've already asked his friends but I think your opinion counts too. After all, you are a part of his unit." Rachel smiled

"Well what's he like?' Alex asked gesturing to the dog who was now sitting down and watching the group of them carefully.

"Well his name is Seth. He's a three year-old Alsatian-Carpathian Wolf hybrid and according to his previous owner, he's very active and smart. He's also exceptionally protective of his pack, which is the family unit he's apart of and he's very headstrong; he won't let a leash be clipped to his collar for anything." Rachel explained

Alex thought for a moment "I'd say definitely. Except for their strong will, I think the two will get along well." Alex decided, glancing at Wolf who was browsing through a book on wolfdogs. While he was talking Seth came up to him where he sat on the sofa and sniffed him.

"That's the best response I've heard so far. All your friends said: why don't I secretly ask you?" Rachel said to Wolf, laughing.

"They're pathetic most of the time." Wolf answered speaking of the rest of K-unit with mock contempt. He stooped down next to Seth and scratched him behind the ears. "So you're strong willed eh. I guess it's going to be an interesting relationship."

"Can I pet him?" Alex asked after the dog had come back to continue sniffing him.

"Go ahead, you're going to spend the next two weeks with him so might as well get used to it." Wolf answered

Alex nodded and patted the canine tentatively on the head but when Seth moved into his touch he confidently scratched him behind the ear and smiled.

"Happy Birthday Wolf."

"Thanks Cub."

The three spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know Seth who proved to be a very cheerful and energetic dog; a bright spot in an awkward environment.

* * *

Later that evening Alex was in the sitting room reading chemistry, while Seth continually tried to sniff, turn or tear the pages from his hand, when Rachel called to him from the kitchen; "Alex go and get your machine now."

Alex sighed; he already hated that portable intravenous drip machine. First he had to sit still for a whole hour while the medicine slowly dripped into his blood stream via a tiny catheter installed in his arm. Second the whole apparatus was cumbersome and made him feel like an invalid, not to mention the fact that the intrusive tubing in his arm caused him constant ache and limited movement. Nevertheless he trudged over to the closet in the hall to get the hated equipment.

He brought it into the sitting room where Rachel was waiting with a packet of sterile tubing and medicine on the coffee table. He sat down with the machine at his side and rolled up his shirt sleeve to reveal the end of the tube with its locking valve safely taped down to his upper arm. He watched carefully as Rachel connected the fresh tubing to the fluid bag and strung it down to join its valve with the one attached to his arm. Then she poured the exact dosage of medicine into the fluid bag and set the timer to one hour at the precalibrated drip speed.

Seth watched, intrigued, and continually tried to fiddle with the tubing or stand so that Rachel eventually had to escort him out of the room to find Wolf to play with instead. When she came back Alex had given up on chemistry for now and was simply thinking.

Rachel came and sat down beside him. "So, um, everything okay?"

Alex nodded "Yeah I'm fine thanks. I really appreciate what you and Wolf are doing."

"Are you sure? I know it can't be like living with your parents at all but I hope you're comfortable."

Alex was touched "Well my parents died when I was a baby so I have no idea what living with them is like, but really I'm fine." Alex assured her "I'm still wondering why you and Wolf are doing all this for me though?" he admitted

She smiled "Well, its like this; even though you and James aren't exactly buddies, he was still pretty angry when he found out what MI6 did to you, and when he told me, so was I. So when he said he had volunteered to look out for you until you're well- provided I agreed- I said of course. Even if you are an independent person, I don't think a fourteen year old boy should have to look after himself completely while he's not even well because there's no one who want's to take him in. It's a horrible thing to be unwanted don't you think?" Rachel looked down at his dark thoughtful eyes.

"I've never actually been unwanted before, but I imagine it would be less than pleasant." He thought for a moment "But I thought I was going to stay in the hospital until needed or something like that. It seems like an unnecessary inconvenience to both of you. I'm not saying I don't like being here; I do, but why bother?" Alex pressed

"You're not an inconvenience Alex, nothing about my schedule has changed, I'm going out with James this evening just as planned and everything I'm used to doing in the day I still do. Besides you seem like an interesting person and I'd like to get to know you. I see no reason why you should be left to the not so tender mercies of your employers when; I'm not busy, I love children and I can afford to help you. We have the space and James see's it pretty much the same way.

"He's seen what those people can do to you and like I said, it's not like he hates you. He may not necessarily be fond of you, but you don't have to be to help someone out, understand?"

Alex did sort of so he nodded "Yeah, I think I do."

"Good." She smiled and stood up. "In a little while James and I will be leaving as I mentioned and some of his friend will be coming over for the supper I'm almost finished preparing. You and they probably won't hit it off at first based on what James told me but if you can't stand their guts you can keep out of there way till we're back; the house is big enough, okay?"

"Sure." Alex answered "Thanks again Rachel."

"No problem."

45 minutes later Rachel and Wolf had on their coats and were about to leave, when Wolf decided to give him a lecture.

"Now Fox, Eagle and Snake are coming over for a bit while we're out. You're to simply stay out of their way. If they badger you, tell them I said to leave you alone but if I find out that you gave them a hard time you're not going to like it. Understand?" Wolf asked gruffly

"I don't intend to even see anybody much less bother them." Alex answered with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He'd forgotten that the main reason he hated his intravenous therapy so much was because it left him feeling so drained and vulnerable afterwards.

"Good, now go get some rest; you look like road kill." He said less harshly

"Okay."

Just as Alex –with Seth close behind- finished serving himself some supper, he heard the key in the front lock and instinctively froze. Seth on the other hand went to investigate and Alex relaxed remembering that it was just the rest of K-unit. But on second thought, that was not much reason to relax; he had no idea what their attitude toward him was like. He was trying to make a hasty exit when Eagle came in blocking his way.

"Well if it isn't our long lost Cub, long time no see." Eagle smiled in a mischievous way.

Alex didn't know what to say so he didn't say anything, but that strategy wasn't going to work for long. As the others filed into the kitchen with their various greetings, unintentionally blocking his passage to the door, he realized there was no way he was going to get away with totally ignoring them and heading to his room. As Snake found the dishes and took down three, Eagle asked "Where are you going Cub, the table's right here?"

Alex really didn't like the way the man seemed to have a particularly evil grin so he moved closer to Fox and the door while answering. "To the room, upstairs, out of your way."

Eagle pulled out a chair next to him and took Alex's plate. "Why do you want to eat all alone upstairs when right here is fine? Besides you're not in the way; we want you down here."

"Ah, let him alone" Snake said in his Scottish accent as he heaped his plate with Shepards pie.

"Why?" Eagle asked in a curious tone "I'd like to know a bit more about this kid who turns up out of nowhere to train with us, then disappears into nowhere a fortnight later, only to be caught for trying to terrorize the country after months of non-existence, rather mysterious don't you think?"

Alex thought for a second on whether he should bolt or just humor their curiosity and explain himself. He decide to sit for the time being and see where it would lead, but he was still thoroughly annoyed at his exhaustion, and his still trembling right hand gave the impression that he was scared; at his earliest convenience he would leave.

"What do you want to know?" he sighed as Fox finally pulled up his chair to the table with his plate of food.

"Well for one" Fox asked "Do you really work for MI6 or do they simply own you or something. I mean have you done any assignments for them?"

Alex tried to stifle a yawn and answered with a simple "Yes"

"So that's what they sent you up to Brecons Beacons for; to train to be a spy." Eagle asked through a mouthful of food.

"Yes" again

"Look if you're going to talk, at least make it worth while. This one word business isn't helping anyone." Snake pointed out

"Then don't ask yes or no questions." Alex answered irritably.

"Okay then," Snake asked ignoring his tone of voice "what's your rank."

Alex was caught off guard. Was he supposed to have a rank? MI6 sure hadn't given him one. "Um, I…I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Eagle said "If you have one then you know what it is."

"Well I guess I don't have one." Alex massaged his temples feeling a headache coming on

"Then what are you, their mascot? Don't Special Ops operatives have ranks?"

"Look I go on missions and what ever else they tell me to do, I don't know about any ranks" Alex snapped. He was so tired but he doubted they would bug off even if he told them what Wolf said; this was too interesting to them.

"Alright, alright" Fox held up his hands as if in surrender "Moving on to something else." After a pause he asked "How many missions have you been on?"

After a mental count Alex answered "Six"

"Really? So have you knocked off anybody yet?" Eagle asked his attention grabbed again.

Alex sighed "Yes."

Eagle laughed "Right, no, yes or no questions. Correction, how many people have you knocked off?"

Alex sighed again and did a mental count of all the people whose death he had directly caused. Nadia Vole, Mr. Grin, the two motor bikers, Dr. Grief, his Grief clone, Conrad, Damian Cray, Nile, Nikolei Drevin, and Kasper. Eleven; it wasn't a small number and he wasn't proud of it.

"Eleven." Alex mumbled

Snake whistled "You've been busy." He said quietly. When Alex didn't answer he changed the subject.

"So what would you say was your hardest mission?"

"Hardest how?" Alex asked while slipping some of his food to Seth who had just reentered the kitchen from exploring the house again.

"Well…" Fox thought a moment "Either most physically demanding or most stressful, one out of the two."

Alex wasn't sure just how much he was allowed to tell them. They weren't just asking simple questions any more.

"I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you that." Alex answered carefully

"You can't tell us what your hardest mission was?" Eagle exclaimed as he refilled his plate "We're not asking you about it, just how was it."

"You're going to want to know why." Alex pointed out

"You have a point." Eagle answered

"Tell you what," Fox decided as Alex gave in to a face splitting yawn "If you answer both questions, we'll leave you alone for the rest of the night."

"Hey?" Eagle exclaimed

"Well?" Fox asked

"Do I have a choice?" Alex sighed

"Another good point." Eagle answered "So spill."

Alex tried to blink away the burning sensation in his eyes and said "I guess my most stressful mission was the Scorpia one. That one was definitely emotionally stressful and difficult."

"Did you say Scorpia?" Snake asked disbelieving "You've dealt with them before?"

Alex couldn't help but feel somewhat smug. He had gone up against one of the most powerful crime organization in the world and had beaten them. It _was_ something to be proud of.

"Yes. First I trained with them a bit but then I came back to MI6 because they really just wanted kill me and whole bunch of other kids." Alex answered.

"Wow." Fox breathed "I'd say you were lying if I didn't witness all the ruckus MI6 made about getting you back, must be good. So what was you're most strenuous mission.

Alex had to really think about it for a moment before deciding that it was the Ark Angel mission. He'd simply felt tired and half way the whole time and going into space untrained had really taken it out of him; he hadn't been able to walk straight for days. Even though he was supposed to have been on holiday, it hadn't felt like that at all. He decided both of his CIA missions had been very difficult.

"I guess the last one. I was just so tired on that mission it made everything harder."

"Well you already know we're going to ask why, so continue." Eagle urged him

"Well, I was recovery from a bullet wound and it just-"

"Wait" Snake exclaimed "You were recovery from a bullet wound from one of your missions? How long after the injury was this mission?"

"As soon as I got out of the hospital." Alex answered innocently. He knew he should have been given more time to rest but he had sort of brushed it aside; he'd sort of gotten himself into things right?

"As soon as you got out of the hospital?" Fox looked incredulous "Just where was the site of the injury?" he asked suspiciously

Alex got the feeling that they weren't going to take kindly to the answer but he was tired of lying, so he said quietly "Just above my heart."

"Just above your heart?!" Snake near shouted "and you were sent into a mission straight out of the hospital? What's going on?"

Alex just really wanted to go to bed now. He was really, really tired and he didn't want to answer anymore questions. "Look I'm really tired and you said you'd leave me alone when I answered those last questions." He got up from the table leaving his supper virtually untouched but for what he'd given to Seth. "Besides Wolf had said to tell you to leave me alone, so if you don't mind I'm going to bed."

"Does Wolf know about this?" Snake asked him before he could leave

"I…I don't think so, but maybe, since he read my file."

He finally escaped and went into the sitting room to quickly collect his books and head up to his room, Seth running around and sniffing things nearby. The amount of energy he displayed made Alex feel even more tired and somehow depressed. For some reason he really missed being in his own house with Jack right now. This was too different, too strange, he just wanted to wake up and find out that the accident and Jack's injury was just a dream. But he knew it wasn't and he reluctantly accepted that as he trudged up the steps to the guest room at the end of the hall. There was no going back.

By the time Wolf and Rachel came back three hours later the business with Alex was forgotten and the men were simply lounging in the sitting room watching television and horsing around.

As Rachel was hanging up her coat in the foyer she heard Wolf fussing at his comrades. "How many times do I have to tell you not to smoke in here? Go outside with it man."

"It was Jake. He thought that the smell would be gone by the time you got back, but apparently he was wrong." Fox answered referring to Eagle.

Wolf, being mindful of his health, didn't smoke and he didn't like it when the others did it in his house either but he didn't press it since he was in a good mood. He went up stairs to put up some bags he'd brought back.

"Damn it Rachel, it's too hot up here, turn down the heat; it's not that cold." He complained when he reached the top of the stairs.

"How was the food?" Rachel asked ignoring him

"Need you ask?" Eagle said "We finished everything."

"Really, including both apple pies?" Rachel asked mischievously

"What pies?" the three men asked in unison leaving Rachel in a laughing fit as they headed to the kitchen searched for it.

"Where's my dog?" Wolf asked when he came back down a moment later

"Um, the last I saw of him he was gone upstairs."

"I suppose Alex is up there too." Rachel asked heading in that direction.

"Yeah he went to bed hours ago." Snake answered

I'll be back in a minute James; I'll just make sure he had his tablets and all."

"Okay." He said, already engaged in a friendly argument with the rest of K-unit.

Rachel knocked on Alex's room door, armed with an array of tablets, a glass of water and a hypodermic syringe with the injection he was to take daily for a week.

When she heard no answer, she knocked again, but he still didn't answer.

She slowly opened the door and found him lying peacefully on his back, asleep with only a pair of sleeping pants on apparently because of the excessive heat. He had a handsome interesting face when he was relaxed and she was rather reluctant to wake him seeing how very tired he was, but she had no desire to see what would happen if she disregarded the doctors strict instructions.

She laid the medicine down on the desk, turned on the lamp and went over to the bed calling him. "Alex, Alex wake up."

Still no answer, he didn't even budge. Coming closer to shake him, she noticed the vivid scars on his torso and chest. Bright, recent ones, most markedly the crisscross of dark red lines and blackish skin above his heart, of the bullet wound. She started when she noticed it and bent over him for a closer look. It was definitely less than a month old, probably only a fortnight. Something wasn't right. Why wasn't he being treated for it? They hadn't even been told about it. Setting her mouth in a hard line, she shook his shoulder gently at first then firmly. Alex shot up in bed with red rimmed eyes and a grabbed hold of the hand on his shoulder in a vice like grip prepared to throw whosoever had snuck up on him in his sleep, not even fully awake.

"Alex, ALEX, it me Rachel." She cried "its okay, wake up" Alex blinked and released her wrist.

"Oh, sorry, sorry Rachel, I don't know what came over me. Are you okay?" he said in a rush jumping out of bed.

"Calm down Alex I'm fine. Sit back down." She said giving him a critical look. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I…I guess I was dreaming and someone grabbed me." He said

"I just came up to make sure you'd had your other medicines." She said cautiously

Alex looked blank for a second then remembered "Oh, um, no, I forgot. I just went straight to bed." He said guiltily. He shouldn't be depending on them so much. He'd never depended on Jack that much, but then he'd never been this sick. There were so many aspects of his illness that caused him to depend on others. The blasted tremor in his right hand prevented him from giving himself his nightly injection and the IV therapy machine demanded that no one under the age of twenty one operate it for fear of over dosage and neither Rachel nor Wolf were going to brake that rule. He hated depending on others so much, but he had no choice right now.

"Hey Alex," Rachel answered "You're the kid here you know; you're allowed to forget okay? That's why we're helping you."

"Right." He was aware of the fact the she had seen his bare chest. What ever scars were there to see she must have already seen. The way her usually curved mouth was set in a straight line of suspicion almost confirmed that. He dearly hoped she did not ask him about them. She knew he was a spy, but to what extent he did not know. He did not want to repeat the scenario in the kitchen.

"Good, now I have you're tablets and injection over here, which would you rather first?" Rachel spoke breaking him from his thoughts.

"The injection I suppose." Alex answered, yawning again now that the initial adrenaline rush had worn off.

With an experienced hand, she administered the injection swiftly and painlessly unlike Wolf, whose ministrations had left a mark.

"You seem as if you've done this before." Alex commented as she took off her gloves and discarded them along with the syringe in a plastic bag.

"Actually I've done it so many times I can hardly count." When he looked confused she laughed and said "I'm a Licensed Practical Nurse."

"Oh" he answered "to day was an off day?"

"I like to spread out my few holidays so I took James birthday as one of them.

"But tomorrow you'll be here with him alone; I'll see how you two get along in the evening."

"Okay then, thanks." He yawned again taking the glass of water from her and the various tablets. After he downed them he lay back down on the bed and self consciously pulled the blanket to his shoulders despite the heat.

Rachel looked at him curiously for a moment and then hid the look.

"Good night" she called closing the door behind her.

In the room she sometimes shared with Wolf, Rachel sat down on the bed and thought for a moment before Wolf came in after setting up where Seth would sleep in the family room.

"James we need to talk." She started.

"About what?" Wolf asked suspiciously taking off his shirt and opening the window.

"About Alex." She answered seriously

* * *

Thanks people and remember to review. As soon as I get 10 reviews I'll start on chapter four.

Note: 'Why Me' is undergoing plastic surgery at the moment. Afterwards the last chapter will be added like a crown upon the head and it will be all the better for the wait. Thank you for your patience.


	4. Scorpia Wasn't Fooled

**Finally I've completed chapter four. After a period of severe writer's block and three rewrites, the story finally continues.** **I don't know what it is about this chapter that I don't really like but I'm sure it's not too bad**. **Hope you enjoy.** **Special thanks to every one who's reviewed so far especially Nytewing who made me realize that reviews aren't everything. But there still nice though. ;) **

**Disclaimer: I'm content with not owning it, which means I don't.**

"What about him?" Wolf asked on his way to the master bathroom to brush his teeth.

Rachel answered "What do you really know about him? You said you met him at the SAS training camp, but you also told me that you can't even apply if you haven't had three years prior of military service so he must be a special circumstance."

There was a minute of silence while Wolf finished brushing, when he reentered the room, he said as he sat down, "To tell you the truth I don't know much. One day the sergeant told us that some agent Double o Seven who's actually fourteen years old was going to be joining our team and I met him."

"Knowing you, I don't think you liked that. Jake told me about the time you were teamed with that newbie on a low priority mission as a training exercise."

"Not everything he's says is true you know, but yes I did come off as mean."

"Poor kid." Rachel smiled sympathetically closing the window Wolf had opened.

Wolf resisted the urge to roll his eyes "He didn't seem poor to me when he kicked my arse out of the plane on the parachuting exercise."

"And how did he get a chance to do that?"

"Well you know how I'm not exactly fond of heights, so I hesitated. If I hadn't jumped I'd have been binned so he sort of saved my career by doing that but I think it was more payback that was on his mind at the time."

"Serves you right you big baby." Rachel joked, but then she grew serious again. "Then what?"

"After that he left. On my way back to the barracks I sort of apologized for being a jerk and we parted ways. I didn't see him again until we found him in France."

"Was he on a mission?" she asked interested to find out what Alex did as a spy.

"Seems so, I'm not aloud to tell you the details but it involved a nutcase headmaster and some teenage boys among other things."

"What I'm trying to find out is whether what he does is dangerous or not."

Wolf looked at her suspiciously for a moment but answered.

"It's dangerous alright." His face grew hard "Some months back, my unit was sent to retrieve an undefined agent who'd sent a distress call from the school where he was performing undercover. And if you ask me getting shot at by hostiles on snow mobiles while snowboarding down a mountain at night on a modified iron board definitely comes under my definition of dangerous, and when we reached him at the bottom he was unconscious. But when we broke into the school with the information he gave us to rescue the hostages, he was manipulated into coming along despite his injuries. It's part of the reason I persuaded Blunt to let him stay here; I don't think he plan to let him heal properly before sending him off again and he knows that might means what ever he has in store for Alex has to wait. No one deserves that kind of treatment.

"But I want to know; why do you ask? I know you haven't been thinking about this all evening."

Rachel was obviously disturbed by this new information but it confirmed what she'd already thought.

"When I went to give him his medicine, I found him asleep. Since he was shirtless, I was able to see that he had a fairly new bullet wound just above his heart and I began to wonder just what it is that he does that could put him in a situation like that."

"A bullet wound to the chest?" Wolf asked coldly

"Yes."

"Does he know you found out?"

"I'm pretty sure. I got the feeling though that he wishes I hadn't." she answered

"_I_ get the feeling MI6 will too." Wolf said darkly as he climbed into bed.

Rachel simply nodded as she turned off the bed side lamp. Do you think we should do something?"

"I'll ask him about it." Wolf said ending the conversation. He needed to think about what this meant if anything at all.

He would ask him some day when the child wasn't so edgy around him. He couldn't blame Alex for feeling intimidated when he was around. Even Rachel, who saw the gentler side of him that was hidden to most people, admitted that he was not a social person. He was the type that got along capitally alone and he did not strive to make friends either. His only friends were the other three men in k-unit whom he had know for a good while. They'd been through hell together and knew each other like brothers. So it was no wonder that he was not considered friendly by most. To make matters worse he had deliberately come across as decidedly mean when he'd first met Alex.

Wolf did NOT like it that his team had been seemingly embarrassed and mocked with the addition of a mere child to it. Therefore said child was on the receiving end of that intense dislike.

It would take an effort to reverse that effect, effort that Wolf would not be able to muster if he did not really want to make Alex a part of his small personal circle. Alex was a different kind of child, unique actually, but Wolf did not normally associate with children much less make them his friends. Only time would determine if he had it in him to befriend Alex and in the process earn his trust. Before he fell asleep, he resolved to try starting tomorrow.

When he entered the sitting room at a quarter past seven the next day, he found that Alex was already awake,playing with Seth, a rarely seen carefree smile on his face as the dog popped out from the around the edge of the sofa and leaped on top of Alex -who'd been sitting on the floor-with the contents of his sleeping area in his mouth. Alex laughed and tried to push the dog off of him while Wolf watched quietly from the door way, a small smile on his face. When the dog knocked him down again from a stooped position making a decidedly loud sound, Alex tried to calm him down. "Hey boy, you'd better cool it be for you wake someone up." Seth merely wagged his tail more vigorously and trotted over to where Wolf stood, apparently already aware of Wolf's presence.

When Alex realized that Wolf was standing there he quickly got up and his face once again took on the look of caution and uncertainty Wolf was accustomed to.

"Sorry about the noise, I-"he started but Wolf cut him off "its okay Alex you didn't wake anyone."

Some of the uncertainty lifted from his face but Alex remained awkwardly silent.

"I see he's taking a liking to you." Wolf added as an after thought while he scratched the dog behind the ear. "I was just going to run and I thought I'd bring Seth along, wanna join?"

Alex looked almost suspicious for a second but then shrugged it off. "Sure, thanks." He answered "I'll be back in a minute." He called as he ran up the steps to change out of his jeans and jersey top into a navy blue nylon sweat suit.

When he returned, Wolf was waiting for him in the front yard. While he stretched and warmed up he watched as Wolf tried to put a leash on Seth who adamantly refused to stand still. When Wolf ventured to forcefully hold him still, Alex nearly smiled. "I don't think you should do that. It might make him, you know, weary of you."

Wolf glanced at Seth as he growled wolfishly. He really did look like one with a coarse white and gray coat and a strong, lean build. The way he stood and held himself; proudly also spoke of his origins. He was making it clear that he was not going to wear it.

"You're probably right." Wolf stood up "Let's go, I'll just stay away from crowds and children as I usually do; I can't afford for him to bite someone."

By the time they got back Alex was tired again and his chest had begun to ache slightly from the exertion. He rubbed it absently while Wolf prepared them something to eat.

During the surprisingly good breakfast of cottage fries and sausages, Wolf tried to make conversation by asking Alex what he wanted to do that day.

Alex stopped eating and stared.

"What?" Wolf asked irritably "Can't I ask a simply question?"

Alex blinked and shook his head a faint smile playing on the corner of his lips from Wolf embarrassed irritation.

"Nothing" he answered "I just didn't think you really cared."

"Is it so wrong to be curious once in a while?"

"No" Alex answered slightly bewildered. "I just, I don't, you don't seem like the curious type I guess."

"Look if you don't want to answer then fine I was just wondering." Wolf said thoroughly discouraged.

"No, its no secret, I was just surprised." Alex said mildly amused and suspicious at the same time. "I didn't have any plans really, I was simply going to work on catching up on my school work some more."

"All this backed up work is from being in the hospital?" Wolf asked

Alex snorted sarcastically "I've already finished that. This is all the course work I keep missing because of my missions."

Wolf looked confused "You mean your behind in your schooling because of your missions? I thought that was on the side except this new development."

"Nope. I'm more often on missions than I'm in school." Alex answered

"Just how bad is it?"

Alex wasn't accustomed to confiding in others or accepting their help easily, much less near strangers like Wolf. This man had gone from repulsion at first sight of him to allowing him into his house to recuperated and rest when he really needed it, he also seemed to show genuine interest in Alex's wellbeing. As far as Alex was concerned, since his uncle had died, no had done that except Jack and perhaps Smithers. It was somewhat comforting to know that others cared. Perhaps that was why he didn't feel inclined to lie and keep the truth to himself.

"Well the school counselor said that if I don't buckle down I'm going to fail my GCSEs miserably. That's why I have to work on it when ever I get some free time." Alex told him forlornly.

Wolf frowned "Do you need help?"

"Thanks but no." Alex responded genuinely touched by Wolf's concern "It's not that I don't understand what I'm doing, I just wasn't present to ever have done it so when the test and quizzes show up, I'm blank, but I'll catch up. Thanks anyway."

Wolf nodded and they returned their attention to the meal before them.

Later, as the two of them went about their separate activities and the day progressed, Wolf found himself thinking about Alex's predicament and wondering if there was any way he could help him before he handed him over to MI6 again. It wasn't that he was fond of the boy or anything, but he didn't like unfairness if he could help it and if Alex was failing his courses, despite the fact that he was trying eagerly not to, because MI6 used him unfairly without regard to his future as a young man, then that was definitely the type of unfairness that Wolf couldn't simply stand by and ignore however little he could do about it. He eventually decided that he would talk to them later and strongly suggest that Alex's education and wellbeing be put before his career as a MI6 operative and that the SAS not be used again in the unlawful retrieval of him either. It was the least he could do and he didn't have to go out of his way about it either.

At around one o' clock in the afternoon he came up to the sitting room from the cellar to tell Alex to get ready to come along since he didn't feel right leaving him alone in the house when he was so weak. The child did mention that the whole mess had come about because some enemies of his were trying to kill him; no need to encourage them.

He noticed the him dozing in the armchair in the corner with his papers still in his lap. The pallor and exhaustion evident in his face served to strengthen Wolf's resolve to talk to his employers about his treatment. He was surprised by how much he was willing to help this child that he didn't really know. But since the confrontation at the hospital and the subsequent visits he was growing to actually like him somewhat; enough at least to help him with his not so small teenage troubles, troubles that weren't his fault. And even though Alex thought they would leave him alone now, Wolf did not. Once he was out of Wolf's and Rachel's care they would probably revert. Seeing that he didn't have anything else planned to do that day and it had really irked him that the child was about to fail because he was being used, it was no problem to go down there and suggest a few things and use his knowledge of the situation to threaten them some.

So he proceeded to almost gently wake the child. When calling him didn't work he shook his shoulder. He didn't expect him to visibly start or leap to his feet before he knew who had awoken him in obvious alarm.

"Hey Alex, calm down it's just me." Wolf said wondering if the latter part of his statement actually conveyed any sense of security, but apparently it did because Alex did calm down though he seemed upset.

"What's the matter?" Wolf asked when he heard him swear under his breath as he wiped the last remnant of sleep from his eyes.

"It's this damn medicine. It muffles my hearing so I never hear when you all call me the first time; I can't stand it. Everything is quieter than it should be."

Wolf had noticed but he didn't know it was a side effect of the medication.

"What's going on anyway?" Alex asked

"We're heading down to Liverpool Street."

"Do you mean to MI6 HQ?" Alex asked skeptically

"Yes."

"What for?" Alex gathered up the books and papers that had scatter when he woke up he was curious as to why Wolf would be heading there.

"To talk to them about you, now get your shoes on."

"Thanks, but why do I need to go? There's nothing I have to say."

"I don't need your help Alex, but I think you would agree that you are in no shape to stay here alone."

"Actually I don't; I've been by myself before when I was in less than tip top shape and I survived. Besides I really don't want to see those people today."

Wolf considered that then suggested: "You could stay in the lobby."

Alex snorted then brightened "Maybe I could call Tom we could hang out a bit while you're gone and I wouldn't be in your way. Tom's my friend from school." He added, the word friend sounding foreign to him.

"Call him first and find out." Wolf said brusquely

Alex did as told and after a few rings a female voice answered "Hello?"

"Hello Mrs. Harris is-" he was abruptly cut off. "Ms. Connor" After a pregnant pause she said again "My name is Ms. Connor now not Mrs. Harris."

"Oh sorry Ms. Connor, is Tom home?"

"Who is calling?"

"Alex Rider, a friend from school."

"Hold on a second."

Alex had forgotten that Tom's parents were divorcing. That must be why she sounded so cold when pointing out the mistake. Now he heard her calling Tom telling him to pick up the phone.

When he finally did he didn't sound particularly glad but then why would he, Alex wondered.

"Hi Alex."

"Hey Tom, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay, what about you?"

"I'm fine."

"Um, look Alex I was just getting ready to leave so I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Oh, okay then, well maybe sometime soon we can get together and hang out; I don't think I'll be leaving again for awhile so we could plan something." Alex said referring to his missions, sounding faintly disappointed.

A pause

"Actually if you want we could go see a movie or something now. I had nowhere specific going, I just need to be out of the house before mom's group of mad women gets here. Because trust me, you don't want to be around."

Alex smiled even though Tom couldn't see it.

"Okay then, is it okay if we meet at your place?"

"Sure, how long?"

"Um, 10 minutes, tops."

"Okay, see you then."

"Bye."

When Alex hung up the phone and turned back to Wolf, he saw him shaking his head as if in disbelief.

"What?" Alex asked

"You; that was an awkward phone conversation if ever I saw one."

"I don't get to talk to him much and the fact that I always pop up at school for a few days at a time and then leave again with out warning even when we had something planned, doesn't help either." Alex answered in an irritated voice, resentful of the comment.

Wolf acknowledged his tone for what it was and dropped the subject.

"Well come on so we can go."

"So where are you going?" Wolf asked as they pulled up in front of the duplex building that was Tom's home were he sat on the stoop waiting.

Alex didn't exactly understand this sudden attempt at paternal like concern he was seeing but he didn't resent it either, he was just confused.

"Um, he said something about the cinema." Alex answered

"Well here," Wolf answered pulling out his wallet and extracting five pounds. "I don't want you to have to borrow or otherwise be short, so take it."

Alex stared at the money for a second "Thanks, but I have some." Wolf didn't seem to hear or want to. Alex bemusedly took the offer.

"Thanks." He said quietly

Wolf nodded as Alex made to leave. "Let me know when you're back."

"Okay."

When Wolf drove off Tom came up to Alex "Who was that?" he asked curiously

Alex didn't feel like answering the questions that telling truth would arouse, so he settled for being vague.

"Um, he's a friend."

Tom took the hint and changed the subject. "So um if you don't mind my asking, what happened to you? Was it another mission?" Tom asked as they took off in the direction of the Tube.

"Um no, it wasn't a mission but almost, I mean its mission related."

Tom glanced at Alex critically "Why are you being so vague?"

Alex shook his head apologetically "Sorry, it's just that a lot has changed."

"With what? Me, MI6, you?" Tom asked annoyance clear in his voice.

"Tom keep it down!" Alex hissed

"Look Alex, I don't want to pry or anything but can you blame me? One day you're at school and you seem fine, the next thing I know, you disappear for nearly two weeks, Jack doesn't answer the phone, nobody's home and when I finally see you, you look tired, sick and you tell me something big has happened. I guy can be worried about his best mate right?" Tom declared, concerned.

At the mentioned of Jack Alex momentarily froze. If it weren't for the fact that she was gone, everything would have been fine despite his acute sickness. He hadn't realized how much she had anchored him to all things familiar and comforting. Now that she was gone everything was thrown out of sync and it hurt like a sock in the stomach.

"What happened Alex, talk to me; that's what friends are for."

Alex nodded and started walking again. "It's Jack; she's gone."

"W-What?!" Tom exclaimed. When Alex had said 'a lot has changed' he didn't think he meant that.

"Not dead Tom." Alex responded with a calm he didn't exactly feel. "She went back to the States."

Tom knew there was more so he wisely stayed silent. "Remember back in Venice when I found Scorpia?"

Tom nodded.

"Okay, now remember when I was in the hospital a month ago with appendicitis?"

"Yeah" Tom answered afraid to put two and two together.

Alex nodded "Well it wasn't appendicitis. Scorpia hates me for messing up their plans so they sent a sniper, but he didn't exactly kill me." He rubbed the sore spot on his chest absently

"Then two weeks ago they tried again."

He was silent for a moment and Tom provided the rest. "Jack took the hit."

"Technically yes, there was a car crash and-and she was badly injured." He faltered, stopping as they reached the station until they were on the train. "Her parents made her come back home with them."

Tom could see just how desolate his friend felt with something like this crashing down on his head all at once. He gave his shoulder a squeeze to show his support.

"Thanks Tom"

After a moment of comfortable, silence Tom asked "So what happened to you?"

"I wasn't really hurt in the crash. But after I left to find out who did it. MI6 tried to bring me in. They sent the SAS but I had- they- well let's just say the tranquilizer wasn't used properly. I was only just released from the hospital the day before yesterday."

Tom whistled in amazement. "Man, trouble just follows you doesn't it? Then if Jack isn't here anymore, now who do you stay with.

Alex was quiet for a second as he really considered the strange turn in events.

"Remember the guy from SAS training I told you about, the one who pretty much hated my guts on sight?" he nearly smiled at the irony of it.

"You mean Dog or what ever his code name was?"

Alex laughed "It's Wolf, that's who I 'm staying with now, he and his fiancée."

"Wow, if you don't mind my saying so I feel sorry for you."

"Surprisingly, he's not so bad and his fiancée is definitely nice. It's just really strange and all, sometimes depressing too."

"Well I'm here to talk to whenever you need to. That's what friends are for."

"Do you realize Tom that you are the only person left that I know personally from before this whole _MI6_crap started. Everyone else is gone. It's make me all the more grateful that the one friend I have actually understands." Alex stared at Tom seriously.

"Come on Alex stop being all depressing. There's no need to dwell on it. We're still good friends despite everything and that's that." 

"I suppose that's another way to look at it." Alex said reasonably as they exited at their stop.

Tom considered how different Alex was; more serious, more reserved, he simply had a more mature and bleak outlook on life. There was no doubt about it; Alex had been through a lot.

_Two days after Alex was admitted to the hospital._

"_I want you to make sure she understands that if she with holds anything, her child will be killed. Do you understand? I don't know where that boy is but I cannot afford for him to interfere with my plans this time. He obviously did not die as intended because he was seen leaving this woman's house. I want him found and brought to me. I will not make the same mistake that Julia Rothman did." _

"_Yes Sir."_

"_Wait!"_

_All eyes turned to regard Ariel Mastrat, who'd made the outburst._

"_Do you have something to say?"_

"_Yes. In my experience, I have found that certain individuals under interrogation can be rather inventive in the answers they give."_

"_Any attempt at deception will be taken care of by my men."_

"_However I have devised a strategy to overcome this." She continued as though deaf to the interruption. "Have you ever heard the saying 'You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar'?"_

_A thoughtful silence permeated the room._

"_Are you implying that we go about this nicely?" the last word was said with contempt _

_Ariel smiled; a feral sort of grin. Then her manner completely changed._

"_I've been wanting to see him for so long but I wasn't allowed. I know I've done some less than mature things in the past but I've changed. His uncle refused to even communicate with me. Then when he died I tried to get a hold of Alex again but he was always disappearing. Now I hear that he was in a motor vehicle accident, but I can't find him. You were there at the crash site maybe you know where he went. I need to find him but I don't know who else to turn to." _

_A collective smile slowly spread throughout the people in the room._

"_What do you say?"_

"_I say, I like it; proceed."_

"That movie was overrated if you ask me." Tom declared sulkily as they left the cinema.

"If you ask me, they're all overrated."

Tom nodded. "It's the only thing I could think of that would get me out of harms way without an argument." He sort of apologized

"By the way, what do you mean you needed to escape the group of mad women at your place?" Alex asked curiously.

Tom seemed to shudder. "It's because now that dad is out of the house for good, then the group that my mom is a part of called the-the something, something to credit successful single moms or something like that, comes and holds sessions at our house too, and if you ask me, all they do is sit, drink tea, and fuss about who doesn't respects them or about how sad they are that this one left them or that that one died. I'm not saying they shouldn't be upset or whatever but can't they rent a gym or something. If I so much as walk into the room while someone's talking, most of them look at me as if I'm a blight upon the earth because I'm of the opposite sex." Tom complained.

Alex tried to hold back a smile. "So do you think their gone yet?"

Tom could sense the amusement coming from Alex "Maybe, they usually take between 1-2 hours." He answered huffily

"Sorry" Alex offered "It's just that you're problems are so refreshingly normal, they're almost funny, but only almost." He added quickly as he saw the look on Tom's face.

"I suppose."

When they entered the foyer 15 minutes later, they heard voices in the sitting room that indicated that the dreaded women were still present.

"Come on and we can sneak up to my room." Tom began but they were caught before they could act on the suggestion. "There you are Tom come here I don't think you've met Ms. Tarstam; she has a son about your age you might want to meet." Tom's mother called to him as she saw him trying to pass. "Mom, Alex and I were just going up to my room can't I come back later?"

"Did you say Alex?" the new woman, Carmen Clark asked earnestly, coming towards the doorway. Alex looked closely at her and noticed that she looked slightly familiar.

"Oh, hello Alex," Alex heard a rather hesitant voice call to him from across the room.

"Oh, Hi Ms. Wentworth" Alex noticed she was sitting on the sofa by the window holding her son in her lap as he stepped into the room. It occurred to him that since she was also single and lived in the area she would probably be a part of a group like this. But the woman who stood quietly in the corner looking at him with near awe was really freaking him out. He realized that part of the reason was because she looked like his mother. He felt uncomfortable with that woman and Ms. Wentworth in the room for some reason. He moved to the hallway where the newcomer and Ms. Wentworth followed.

"Alex I was wondering if maybe you'd like to meet a friend of mine who is actually particularly interested in you."

Alex instinctively turned to face the newcomer. "Alex I know we've never met before but-but" tears were beginning to shine in her eyes. "I've been wanting to meet you for so long." She didn't seem able to continue.

"Who are you?" Alex asked coldly, his instincts taking over, saturating his every sense with suspicion.

"Carmen, Helen's sister; your aunt." She answered hopefully

Alex shook his head disbelievingly vaguely aware of Diana leaving the two by themselves. "I don't have an aunt –" he was about to say MI6 would have told him about it. But instead he said 'I was told that I didn't have any other family. Besides I would have found out if I did."

"No Alex they didn't want you to know. I wasn't a suitable guardian a few years back but I'm fine now."

"Then where were you?"

"Every time I came around, after your uncle passed away, you weren't there; always not home. After three tries I stopped coming."

"Why didn't Jack tell me about it?" Alex asked becoming distressed. He had a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't right but the young boy in him would not listen.

"I told you no one wanted you to know. She took it very badly when I came the first time, so I didn't knock on the door again."

"How did you find me now?" He had unconsciously stepped closer. She did look like his mother.

"When I heard that you'd met in an accident, I tried to contact you or your guardian but I couldn't find _you_. Your guardian was in the hospital but I couldn't find you in any where." She was practically in tears now. "I found out that Diana had been the last person to see you, so with what she could tell me I set out looking. We've become friends and she invited me to these sessions because I'm single with my son Mark. But I would so like it if you could come and live with me too. You don't have anyone left and so badly want to help you." She stretched out her hand towards him. His consciousness was screaming to him that something was wrong but he just didn't want to believe it right now. He was tired of being weary of everyone. She seemed genuine; either she was a very good actress or she was for real.

Tom stood in the corner looking appalled and suspicious himself, but he didn't interrupt. However he did follow them outside.

"I can't imagine how lonely you must feel now." Carmen continued as she walked down the road towards her car "with your other guardian gone and everything."

As before the mention of Jack brought him around like a smack in the face and he stopped walking, his senses recovering enough for him to rapidly realize his mistake.

Tom stood not far behind to see how the exchange would go for his friend.

"I never told Ms. Wentworth that Jack was gone. I didn't tell anyone, how do you know?" He was beginning to get scared now. What was he doing? Who was this woman? She could easily be tricking him. He needed to call Wolf now and let him know he was back from the cinema. "I'm just going to make a call." He said with strained politeness stepping aside and away from the vehicle, pulling out the phone that Smithers had given him.

He glanced at Carmen again as she smiled sympathetically "I understand, Take your time, take your time." She sat down in her car to be out of the cold.

Alex looked down to punch in Wolf cell number that he'd given him in the truck.

"ALEX, WATCH OUT!" Tom shouted running towards him.

Alex instinctively ducked and rolled coming up a few meters away from the woman's red car, adrenaline pumping and his breath already in short gasp from fear and tiredness. In her hand was a tranquilizer dart gun.

The previously sweet grin became evil and frightening in nature as she switched to an automatic pistol. Glancing furiously at Tom "Both of you will come with me quietly and obediently into this car. If either of you makes so much as a sound, I will shoot your friend first Alex and then you." She said quietly. Tom glanced at Alex his eyes wide with fear. Briefly he wondered if this was how Alex felt on his missions.

"Come along boys. She said cheerily gesturing towards the car her gun trained on Tom but skillfully out of view.

Alex nodded to Tom and they proceeded to enter the car. He was too far away from Tom to hope to save him if they bolted so their only choice was to follow her orders. When both of them were in the back seat she smiled and closed and locked the doors behind her and started the vehicle. She turned around in the seat with her gun still pointed at Tom.

"Now that you are no longer of use…" Tom sat rigid with fright

"NO, NO don't shoot, I'll do what you say just don't shoot." Alex pleaded

She grinned wickedly "Perhaps you do serve some use." She turned around and began driving towards a more secluded section of the city.

Five minutes into the drive and Alex had a plan, but if he didn't time it correctly he could kill both himself and Tom. He could only communicate with his eyes but he thought Tom had it to simply follow his lead. It was a terrible gamble. The doors of the car might have had secret secondary locking mechanisms but if he waited they would be done for anyway. As the witch took out a cell phone to contact her superiors, therefore rendering both hands occupied, he took a breath locked eyes with Tom and slammed open the car door.

The two boys hit the road with such force as to thoroughly wind Alex and nearly knock Tom unconscious but the effect of adrenaline stepped in and they ran in the opposite direction that the car was headed with uncanny speed. But Tom was quickly pulling ahead of Alex. He had always been athletic but because of Alex's condition he seemed more so. The woman screeched to a halt and leapt out of the car. Kicking off her heels she was gaining on them but they still had a short advantage. Alex directed Tom to turn aside onto another road so she couldn't shoot at them and they quickly turned again into an alley but it was a dead end except for the fire escape hanging down. Alex urged Tom to go up first while he listened out. He needed his friend to be safe first, then he could-. Just as Tom slipped in to the broken door of the abandoned building, Carmen or who ever she was turned the corner followed by three other men dressed in street garbs so as to be inconspicuous but Alex saw there steely confident stance.

"So, you thought you could outsmart me you little piece of shit?" stepping closer she backhanded him across the face with such force that he stumbled into the wall, Tom watching the exchange from the window above.

"Where's your little friend Alex, hiding?"

Alex wiped the blood off his lip "You don't want him so leave him alone."

"Oh I will leave him alone because he will ensure your compliance with all my demands. I know were he lives, I know his mother. If either of you disregards this arrangement I'm about to make, I will kill him. Don't think your little escape aid helped anything. It just expedited your demise." She took out a hypodermic syringe. "Here is a sample of the pathogen that will eliminate a large chunk of the British population if we don't get what we want. I'm going to inject you with it now." The three men took hold of Alex and held him fast. One of them took his head and roughly shoved it to the side so that his neck was exposed revealing the mark made from the last tranquilizer he'd had. He struggled to no avail.

"The way it works is by attacking a body's nervous system." She continued, enjoying herself. "At first there are no symptoms, but then after about a week, the victim begins to experience pain; intense pain in all their muscles until he is unable to stand or walk or even talk. Within a week after this point the victim dies." She came closer with the needle. "Scorpia doesn't want you dead immediately because we need your help. When the pain of this disease grips you, you will have to come to us for help. We will offer you small reprieves from the pain in exchange for information about MI6 and this mission. That little toy you got will provide us with all the info we need."

She prepped the needle for the injection. "And if you decide to act noble and suffer through the pain instead, then we'll turn on Tom. You here that Tom, I know you're hiding around here. If you want to live all you have to do is be a good little boy and hope that Alex does too."

His time was running out but Alex had an idea. He doubted it would work but he had to try; made she would reconsider. "WAIT, wait," he urged as she was about to stick him. "What if the virus reacts with the medication I'm getting now? If I died instantly you wouldn't be able to get any information out of me."

She frowned, annoyed by the interruption. "What medication?"

"The one that I have to take because of the tranquilizer accident with the SAS; don't you see the mark on my neck?"

The woman looked closer and then laughed. "Yes, I see that everyone is out to kill you aren't they? Too bad I don't care. The highest priority on this assignment is to get rid of you. If I can do that with an added bonus then today's my lucky day, if not, so what? Hold him still." She directed to the three men holding him.

"Here's the antidote. Sealed in an impenetrable container so you will always know it's there, just out of reach." She put it into his shaking palm. She looked down on his shaking form leaning against the wall. "It's a pity you won't live to be a man. You would have dashing." He was shivering all over as the virus moved through his system. After about ten minutes when he was sure they had left, Tom came down to where Alex sat against the brick wall hugging himself in despair. He had no way out. With Tom in the picture he had nothing to use against them. Scorpia had all the cards this time.

"Alex," Tom called. When he didn't answer he shook his shoulder gently dropping down nest to him. "Alex what are we going to do?"

"I have absolutely no idea." Alex hung his head.

**Well there you have it. Another cliffy. However it's not as bad as where I was originally going to leave it which was at the part when Alex opened the car door of the wicked witch. But then I said the chapter isn't long enough to justify so evil a cliff. Nice long chapters are like brand new rope. I can rest assured that you won't fall before I return. I don't particularly like this chapter but maybe that's just me. Until next time, which probably won't be soon but I do not intend to abandon.**

**Night ******


	5. Time To Act

**It been a while hasn't it, but I'm glad to be updating again.  By late next week I should have the last chapter of 'Why Me' published and I can finally stop feeling guilty for saying I would update soon and then not doing it for months. What with my head all up in this story and the previous document lost I sort of pushed it aside but now I found a copy of it on my brother's laptop so I'm gone about half way now. **

**When I do update I'll give a special bonus having made you all wait so long, but for now enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Anyone with good sense can answer that question before they perceive to ask it.  **

**Thanks again to Reidluver for taking the time out of her busy schedule to beta this for me. I appreciate it.**

"What do you mean you have no idea? You've dealt with them before; can't you go to MI6 for help? Didn't you hear her? They're going to use you to get information about MI6, you have-"

"I KNOW WHAT SHE # SAID TOM!" Alex exploded at him in sudden frustration. "I heard most of this stuff from MI6 already; the government has one month to comply with their demands, if not they'll release a virus so contagious that it will-" Alex abruptly broke of his angry rambling and scrambled away from Tom; positioning himself as far as the narrow alley would permit.

"Listen Tom, I can't just go over to MI6 headquarters and ask for their help." He continued in a whisper. "Scorpia doesn't bluff; if the woman said you're being watched, then you are. They will NOT hesitate to kill you and your mom if they think I'm trying to get help. I can't risk that."

"Then you're just going to accept what they say and do nothing. You're just going to tell them everything they want to know just like that?" Tom asked in near disgust.

"Tom, you don't understand. This isn't some movie or storybook plot where everything magically turns out alright at the end if the hero is brave enough. If I was in it alone, then I wouldn't hesitate to defy them but I can't take all those daring chances and gambles with _your_ life okay?" There was a meaningful look in Alex's eyes as he stared at Tom seriously as if underneath what he was saying he was also trying to say something else too.

"It doesn't matter how quietly you speak or how discreet you think you're being, don't go to anyone for help; it's too dangerous."   

Tom nodded with a hopelessness that didn't quite permeate his perception of the situation. He understood that Alex wasn't truly giving up but that anything, any mess up could mean death. It was crucial that they didn't outwardly show signs of defiance but not to give in to despair either. Then he remembered something.

"Alex, if this thing is contagious, then what are you going to do about the folks that you're staying with? If you have to interact with them they're going to catch it."

Alex's eyes widened in dismay; he hadn't remembered that aspect of things.

"I'm just going to have to stay out of their way. Pretend to be moody or something."

"Oh boy," Tom sighed. "What have we gotten into?" He sank down in his corner of the alley.

"Now's not the time to rest Tom; we need to get back before we end up having to explain why we we're out here so long." Alex got up and dusted himself off, keeping his distance from Tom.

"Right."

 They emerged from the rundown alleyway and headed in the general direction of the nearest Underground station. The ride to Tom's neighborhood was silent and melancholy with Tom quietly considering the magnitude of what he had gotten himself into and how Alex must feel about the whole thing; from the confrontation in the sitting room at his house up to this point.

 Alex on the other hand was furiously at work trying to figure out a way he could literally save everyone involved. He could not see himself giving Scorpia anything, but he couldn't afford for them to unleash their manufactured sickness on the populace, nor could he bear the thought of anything happening to his best friend because he was being defiant. Outwardly he tried to look hopeful for Tom's sake but deep down, in the recesses of his consciousness, he was gripped with despair and raw fear.

They parted ways, as a frigid rain began to fall, promising that any contact between them would be initiated by Alex, and then, only in an emergency. It would be disastrous for Scorpia to act on the assumption that they were trying to formulate a plan when in truth they weren't.

When Alex finally trudged up to the front porch of Wolf's house and rang the bell, Rachel was the one who opened the door.

"Alex! Get in out of the rain!" She near dragged him into the house. "Are you trying to catch you're death of cold or something?" He tried to explain that he had accidentally gotten caught in it on his way back, but instead shut his mouth remembering the virus. Rachel ran upstairs and retrieved a fluffy green towel for him to dry off with.

"Here, make sure you're thoroughly dry," She stood by to watch.

"What's going on?" Alex heard Wolf ask from the back room.

"It's Alex."

Wolf entered the front hall and gave Alex a peculiar look. "Didn't I tell you to call me when you were finish? There was no need for you to walk back in the rain."

Alex peeked out from under the towel with a slightly bewildered yet annoyed look on his face at Wolf's question.

He realized he couldn't get out of answering so he spoke quietly; with out force. "I know Wolf, but since I had enough money to take the Tube back, I did. Then on the way back from the station, it started raining. I don't see anything wrong with that; I just got a little wet."  This strange caring Wolf was becoming downright scary; was there an ulterior motive to his kindness or something?

"You should look in a mirror before you say that. You look dead on your feet," Wolf answered in a matter of fact tone. "I imagine taking it easy isn't something you do easily, but you need to stop pushing yourself if you intend to get better anytime soon."

Alex nodded as he finished drying his now thoroughly tussled hair.

"Thanks Rachel," Alex remembered as Wolf went into the kitchen.

"No problem," She took the towel from him. "Why don't you go and change out of those wet clothes now and in case you're hungry, dinner will be ready in about half an hour, okay?"

"Thanks."

Alex went up to his room, meeting and petting Seth on the way, and sat on the bed to think for a moment before changing into a dry t-shirt and jeans.

Then he retrieved the digital journal that Smithers had given him, from the bottom drawer of the chest of drawers that he was temporarily keeping his clothes in, and sat down on the bed again.    

If there were no video recording devices hidden in the room, only audio ones, then Scorpia would not be able to monitor anything that he wrote only what he said. He could communicate with others that way as long as wherever they were, wasn't visually monitored either. Email and snail mail probably would be watched, but a digital journal on a secure frequency would probably be safe.

Next he took the vial of supposed antidote from the pocket of his wet jeans and examined it.

It was the size and shape of a standard test tube but half as tall and with two rounded ends. What ever it was coated with had a metallic gold luster to it that, if he remembered correctly, was one of the characteristics of one of Titanium's alloys. It basically looked like a gigantic, valuable tablet.

He slowly turned it over in his hand testing the weight of it, judging whether it was really impenetrable or not. He concluded that MI6 were the people to deal with it because if he did something wrong, he might waste what was inside. Besides he doubted he would have the means of undoing that metal capsule that the antidote was supposedly in.

He put it in the drawer with the rest of MI6 related items and returned to the bed to compose his written message to Smithers.

After a moment of consideration he went under the bed instead.

_Hello Smithers, _

_I desperately need you help. Scorpia knows that I didn't die in the car crash and now they're after me and my friend Tom Harris. They intend to use me to gather information about MI6 and this particular mission and they know about the game you gave me to gain access to the mission specifics._

_To make sure that I cooperate, they've threatened to kill Tom if I mess up. _

_The next thing is that I've been injected with the virus to make sure that even if I decide not to help, within a week, I'll be too sick to work against them and they've given me an container that I can't open, that's supposed to have the antidote in it as a tease.  They intend to bring me in a week from now._

_I really, really need your help. _

_Alex_

Alex reviewed what he had written and decided it would do. He hit the save button three times and turned off the device.

"Mr. Smithers sir, I think you should take a look at this."

Smithers laid down the piece of computerized clothing he'd been working on and rolled his extra wide, high back, swivel chair over to his assistant's dual monitor display.

"What is it Henry?"

Assistant Henry rolled aside and gestured to the screen. "It just popped up, disrupting what I was doing, it looks grave."

Smithers's usually ruddy face became very pale as he read Alex's message. The gears in his sharp mind began turning and he suddenly gasped. "Send a message to Blunt, telling I'm coming up there to report a detrimental change in plans!

"Yes Sir."

A couple minutes later, Smithers barged into Alan Blunt's office with a print out of the transcript from Alex and the knowledge that all of their efforts had been aimed in the wrong direction.

"What is this urgent news you have Smithers?" Alan asked.

"Read this," Smithers puffed, sitting down in a chair as Mrs. Jones stepped into the office as well.

"What's going on?" She asked

"We just got this from Alex," Smithers answered gesturing to what Blunt was reading.

A moment later Blunt slammed the table in an uncharacteristic display of emotion.

"DAMN IT! They've been stringing us along all this time like a fool."

"Alan, what the hell is going on?"

"This just came in," He handed her the paper "Scorpia didn't intend to contaminate an air or water supply in a school or library. We already know that this disease is extremely contagious, meaning that they would simply have to introduce a patient zero into a crowded environment and the person unknowingly spreads it to everyone they come in contact with. That's what they've done to Rider. Unless he remembers how contagious we told him it is, he could be spreading it to any number of people now. And I don't think he's Patient Zero.  For all we know, they could have already begun spreading it around long before now." he was silent a moment in furious thought. Then he pressed a button on his desk. "Michelle, report to my office immediately."

He turned to Mrs. Jones "We're going to have to notify the Prime Minister about the change in plans. We need to focus on finding the antidote rather than the source."

The door opened and Blunt's secretary, Michelle, stepped in. "Yes Sir?"  

"I need you to have Agent Lance Betriss sent to me immediately."    

"Right away Sir."

 When she left, Mrs. Jones spoke "Our best chance of finding that antidote is that container that Alex has. If we can get a hold of it without Scorpia knowing, and it's genuine, then we might be able to copy it."

Alan nodded and turned to Smithers "Do you have a way we could communicate with him surreptitiously?"

"Not at this moment. As for retrieving the container, the easiest way would be to simply steal it from him."

"Okay then, Jones, get somebody on that right away. I want that thing here by tomorrow morning."

When she left, he said "Smithers we need to talk."

 "Alex, are you hungry?" Rachel called from the bottom of the steps for the second time.

"No thanks," Alex answered quietly, appearing at the top of the stairs. "I'm just going to go to bed."

"Just a moment, I know you don't like that machine, but you need to take your dosage for tonight, then you can sleep, okay." Rachel explained sympathetically

Alex visibly sagged "Sure." Tiredly making his way down the stairs, Alex realized that with all the contact he had to make with Rachel because of the help she gave him, she was bound to catch the virus sooner rather than later if he didn't keep his mouth shut tightly at all times.

When he dropped down into the same sofa as the day before, Rachel looked at him in concern.

"Are you okay Alex? You look exhausted." She asked as she prepared the treatment.

When he didn't answer but continued to stare into space she called louder. "Alex!"

"Sorry, I didn't hear you .What did you say?" As clearly as he could while keeping his mouth mostly closed.

Rachel frowned and touched his forehead with the back of her hand. "Are you feeling okay? You seem much more out of it than yesterday, are you catching a cold from the rain?"

"No, I'm just tired," He said it without any edge to his voice but there was a certain dismissive tone to it that, as Alex predicted, led Rachel to feel that he simply didn't want to be fussed over anymore than he already was.

"Okay then, if you need anything just say so alright?"

He nodded.

Satisfied, Rachel went back to the kitchen where she and Wolf had been about to eat.

"Has he been like that all day?" She asked sitting down with her own bowl of soup.

"Like how?"

"So tired and withdrawn."

Wolf frowned "No; he was fine this morning when he told me about his school work situation. Maybe something happened between him and his friend Tom."

 "Maybe," Rachel nodded. "What did MI6 say about his absence from school?" 

"According to them Alex has already made it clear that he doesn't intend to help them again."

"And they buy that?" She asked incredulously "They don't exactly come across as easily persuaded."

"That's what I asked. It's really because they don't think he's going to be the up to working standards again after this so he'll pretty much be left alone."

"You mean this mishap could have ruined him for good?" Rachel asked gravely

"That's what MI6 thinks."

Rachel sadly shook her head at the injustice and continued to eat in silence. Thirty minutes later when they heard the high pitched beep that indicated that Alex's treatment was over, she stood up to unhook him, but Wolf interjected.

"I'll deal with it. I have something to give him from MI6 anyway," He explained

 When he entered the sitting room, Alex was sitting there with a worried expression on his face, staring out into space.

When he noticed Wolf enter, annoyance flashed across his face so quickly that Wolf wasn't sure he saw it before the child schooled his features back into neutrality.

Alex watched Wolf undoing the various parts of the machine for a moment before he asked, quietly with his face mostly turned away, "So did you talk to them?"

Wolf looked at him strangely "Yes, based on what they tell me, you're not going to be working for them again so your schooling should be smooth from here on."

"How come?"

"Didn't you quit?"

"Yes, but I didn't think they'd actually take me seriously."

"Neither did I," Wolf answered as he collected the injection and pills.

"So then why are they releasing me; I know it's not because I fussed."

Wolf prepped the needle for the injection. Strangely, Alex shivered at the sight of it.

"Well?" Alex pressed him

"Based on what the doctors told them, they don't think you're going to be in operational shape again after this."

"Oh." Alex was tempted to argue against it. Not because he wanted the job, but because he was pretty sure that with time, the constant fatigue would wear off and he'd regain the focused and levelheaded manner he used to have. But that would mean more talking which would mean spreading the virus, so all he said was 'Oh'. 

"At least, not in the near future," Wolf added, trying to ease the blow. When a soldier was told he could no longer serve because of irreversible injuries, it was usually a crushing blow, one Wolf had witnessed a few times in his career so he understood somewhat what Alex how Alex felt.

Alex hadn't liked his job much, but to be damaged because of it at such a young age was devastating nonetheless.

Alex simply nodded in acknowledgement and swallowed the pills.

"Um, look, I met Smithers while I was there and he said to give you this." He retrieved a flat medium sized box from the corner of the room. "He said it might remind you of your first mission.

He handed the box to Alex who seemed only mildly interested. When he opened it, he saw a state of the art laptop computer that looked distinctly like a Stormbreaker.

 It was equipped with a full quota of education software to make lessons fun, and a few games. If he used this instead of constantly writing, Alex was bound to finally catch up if he lived for long enough.

"Thanks Wolf." He said tiredly "Good night." he added, heading up to bed.

Wolf stared thoughtfully at Alex's retreating back until he was gone. He was by no means an oblivious or overly single-minded person, in sensitive sometimes, but not dense. On the contrary, he was pretty observant. So he knew that something bigger was bothering Alex, bigger than some argument with a friend or school work even. But he didn't know what and he knew that the child did not trust him enough to simply come to him as a confident.

And Wolf was sure the he would not appreciate him prying, but if he was this depressed about it, someone needed to help him.

That night Alex slept so soundly that he never stirred when the expert burglar quietly crept into his room.  The motion sensors' receiver was unfortunately stowed a way in the same bottom drawer as the vial, so the man came and went with the goods, fortunately without a trace.

The next morning Alex didn't wake up until ten o' clock. When he did, he had the distinct sensation of feeling sick; not weak but sick and he knew that his current condition had interfered with the virus's course and had perhaps accelerated it. 

After dressing, he was about to go down stairs when he heard voices talking in the sitting room.

"That's crazy, that could only cause pandemonium, why would they do that?" He heard Wolf ask

"Well," Alex recognized the Scottish accent of Snake "The Department of Health has reported three deaths and twelve other cases of an unidentified virus without a known cure. They're talking about notifying the GDS and advising the public on how not to spread it. "

"What about containing it?" Wolf asked

"I don't know." Alex heard Fox answer

"And this is all Scorpia's doing," Wolf more stated than asked. But Eagle answered anyway.

"Yep. We may be called back into action before our time off is up. OPCON says they may need the entire CT wing."

Wolf said something that Alex couldn't hear.

"What?" Eagle asked

"I wonder if Alex knows about this." Wolf repeated "He'd said something about Scorpia trying to kill millions of people back when he was discharged from the hospital."

"How did he know?" Snake asked more quietly than before so that Alex had to move down a couple more steps and strain to listen.

 "Apparently, it's the mission that MI6 had intended to send him on before this happened. They told him about it when he insisted on quitting."

Fox near shouted "I'm getting sick and tired of this stuff that MI6 is dealing with; children aren't spies. Did you know that they sent that boy out on a mission after just being shot in the chest on the mission before?"

Silence

"He told you that?"

"We pried it out of him on your birthday when you and Rachel were gone," Eagle explained

"You didn't know, did you?" Snake asked

"I didn't know about the mission but Rachel found out about the shot; she saw it the same night while he was asleep. Did he tell you how he got it?"

"Are you kidding, if we didn't already know his name we'd have had to pry that out of him too? The kid doesn't tell you a thing unless you demand it and then some,"

 Eagle exclaimed

"I've noticed."

"Where is he anyway?" Eagle asked

"Still asleep, but I think he should get up now. I don't think him sleeping this late is a good sign because he was fine yesterday and the day before."

"Getting some practice for your own fatherhood eh? I think you're doing okay so far." Fox joked but Alex didn't hear Wolf's reply because he made a hasty retreat to his room before Wolf caught him eavesdropping.

He made believe that he was just leaving his room when Wolf reached the top of the stairs. "You okay? It's pretty late."

"Yeah, thanks. I was just tired I guess."

"There's breakfast for you in the kitchen and when you're finish you can get your exercise in the yard; I don't think you should run today."

"Okay thanks." Alex didn't really want to run into the rest of k-unit but Wolf was expecting him to go down stairs and eat. He couldn't full well claim not to be hungry, after having no dinner the night before, with out arising more questions. So he reluctantly journeyed down there only to be stopped by Eagle when he reached the bottom.

"Morning Cub," he said in a cheery and mostly non provoking way.

Alex nodded in answer and headed towards the kitchen.

"What? No 'Morning Eagle', not even a grudging one?" he teased following Alex into the kitchen "I didn't do anything, Wolf is the mean one, yet you love him enough to be civil with him."

Alex gave Eagle a murderous look that said 'Shut up before I make you.'

"Whoa, backing off." Eagle exclaimed holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey James are you sure it's safe to keep this kid around? He has a mean temper," Eagle called to Wolf who had just brought Seth inside.

"I've witnessed it before," Wolf answered non-chalantly

Alex resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He hadn't down anything that would qualify as losing his temper, around Wolf before as far as he could remember.

"But what could you have done?" Wolf continued mockingly

"That's an understatement," Fox remarked with Snake close behind him.

"So, how are you doing Cub?" Snake asked in a conversational way pulling up one of the chairs and sitting on it backwards.

"I'm okay," Alex answered. If this was going to become a conversation he really needed to get out while he could; from what he'd heard earlier, Scorpia was already making people sick.

"You don't look too good," Snake pressed "You look troubled. You can talk to us; consider us your friends since the incident in the Underground."

Alex stared at Snake and then Wolf who nodded at him as though to confirm what Snake just said.

"I'm fine, really," Alex insisted quietly. Friends or not he wasn't going to start talking now of all times.

"No you're not," Wolf insisted in turn, leaning on the counter. "Ever since you came back yesterday evening, you've been especially quiet."

"What do you mean especially quiet?" Alex decided to play dumb

"Come on Alex," Wolf said getting annoyed "You were and still are, acting as if there's a sleeping baby in the house."

Alex couldn't readily come up with an explanation for that, so he simply clammed up. A few questions later the men hadn't made any progress and Alex desperately wanted to get away.

"Look, I'm FINE, I just-" he paused before he said something he'd regret "Its nothing." he finished quietly, getting up from the table, and his barely touched food, going out the door mumbling "It's nothing I can't handle."

The four men stared at each other for a moment. "Something's definitely wrong," Wolf finally voiced

"And I can't shake the feeling it has something to do with all this Scorpia business." Snake added

"Do you think he knows something?" Eagle asked seriously

"Maybe"

"We're just going to have to wait and see." Wolf decided.

The rest of the morning and a good part of the afternoon was uneventful at best and downright boring otherwise.

It eventually dawned on Alex, as he sat working on his laptop, that Wolf was probably as bored as he was and that in times past he would most likely have been spending his time off in a more entertaining way, not babysitting a fourteen year-old invalid. If he could convince Wolf that it was fine to leave him alone in the house from day to day, then he would be able to cut down on the amount of contact and therefore virus transfer between them.

He found the man in the lounge doing, in his opinion, the strangest of things; he was playing a video game.

You couldn't say he was absorbed by it, but he did seem to be enjoying it. It was a typical RPG with a military theme to it. When his character died he swore quietly and put down his controller to see Alex standing in the doorway.

"Do you play often?" Alex asked quietly, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"No, not really, only when there isn't anything heroic for me to do."

It was the closest that the man had come to joking about himself that Alex had ever heard and he actually found himself more at ease around him because of it. Wolf wasn't really all that bad; just rough around the edges.

"Did you want something?" Wolf asked trying to read the boy's eyes although he knew he wouldn't gather anything. The kid wasn't unlike himself in that respect; he didn't talk with his eyes.

"No" Alex answered hesitantly then changed his mind "Actually, I wanted to ask: when you're not playing, what else do you do when you're on holiday?

"Are you bored Alex ?" Wolf asked suspiciously. If there was one thing he'd learned about the kid so far, it was that he wasn't one to talk or ask questions simply for the sake of talking; if he asked 'what else do you do on holiday?' it was because he wanted to know for his own private reasons.

"Not really, I just thought you were."

Wolf continued to eye the child in a suspicious manner but didn't press the matter. He was curious as to why Alex was so secretive but as he'd already learned, interrogation wasn't going to work. Instead he asked "Do you want to play?" gesturing towards the screen.

For Alex, that was totally unexpected. It occurred to Alex that perhaps Wolf was doing these nice things to lure him into a false sense of security and trust so he could pry his secrets out of him. But he immediately dismissed the thought; not everyone was Scorpia, he chided himself. Besides, considering the fact that he was bored of school work and Wolf obviously was trying to reach out, he decide a small game wouldn't hurt if he kept his distance. So it was with a small measure of suspicion and a little more hesitance, that he accepted the invitation and sat down on the couch beside Wolf for a game or two of Splinter Cell.

When they finally stopped, it was because a familiar voice interrupted them "Well, well, well, for two guys who don't get along well together, you sure are now."

Wolf hit the pause button and turned around "Hey Rachel, how long have you been back?"

"Only a few minutes. Having fun Alex?" She answered patting him on the shoulder.

"Yeah," He answered preparing to exit the room.

"That's good, I was beginning to get a little worried about you with your strange behavior last night, but it looks like you're okay.

"And I'm glad to see that you two aren't avoiding each other."

"He's an okay kid." Wolf answered lightly "and a good player."

"Thanks" Alex answered enjoying the compliment despite himself  "I'll be upstairs if you want me.

"So how was work?" Wolf asked as he and Rachel made their way into the kitchen.

That night, as Alex lay in bed contemplating his situation, he heard a scratching at his door that sounded like Seth's claws on the door. Alex got up feeling a bit achy and hesitantly opened the door. Sure enough Seth came trotting in with a decided manner about him and settled himself on the floor by Alex's bed.

As he got used to the new members of his family pack, the people loving dog had decided to try out different sleeping areas asides from the lonely sitting room. When he'd scratched at Wolf's door, Wolf had kindly but firmly led him back down stairs to _his_ bed. Perhaps he was still getting used to the idea of having a pet but for what ever reason, he didn't want his dog sleeping in his room yet. After ward Seth decide to try Alex's room where he succeeded, and now that he was in, he was staying for the night.

Alex shook his head at the audacity of the proud animal but aloud him to stay nonetheless.

The next time Alex awoke, it was because he had just been gagged and his hands were in the process of being bound. He yanked his hands apart, panic rising in his throat, and rolled over unto the floor, landing on the spot where Seth had been a moment before. Now the animal was standing in front of him with ears erect, bearing his teeth at the intruder. He was an intelligent animal and could discern that this wasn't simply a stranger but a hostile one.

_Earlier that evening_

_"No, it can't wait. Somehow the kid must have gotten word to his superiors. We need to retrieve him now and as promised kill Harris."_

_Ariel Mastrat aka Carmen was quiet a moment. "I don't think he is the one who notified MI6, we would have known. They were bound to figure it out sooner or later. When we bring him in Tom Harris could still be of use if he is still alive, not that he has to know that."_

_Her superior, the leader of this assignment, looked at her. "I see. I think it would be more effective if he does know that the boy is alive but at an opportune moment, since he is bound to resist, we pretend to kill him"  _

_Ariel sneered in a perfect imitation of a hyena. "Understood"_

As the Scorpia operative made a savage movement to kick the dog in the rib cage, Seth instead leapt onto the man, growling threateningly but not barking. With the intruder occupied, Alex took his opportunity to yank the gag out of his mouth and yell as loud as he could.

"WOLF!"

The man managed to throw the animal from him and kick him brutally in the ribs anyway. Then he grabbed Alex by his hair. "You shouldn't have done that. Now you've sealed your friend's fate." He spat

The man spoke into a mic at his lapel "Kill him."

The command and its implications sent Alex to temporary insanity. All his pent up emotions just exploded when he heard those two words and he elbowed the man wickedly in the ribs and then lunged on top of him. When Wolf came bursting in with his gun drawn and turned on the light, the sight that greeted him was Seth picking him self up off the floor, obviously injured, a masked figure dressed completely in black lying on the floor and Alex sitting on top of him near hysterical with tears, beating the crap out of his bloody face while the man tried without success to choke him.

"Alex!"

Unfortunately, because of his frenzied state, Alex had forgotten that he'd screamed for Wolf at all. When he heard Wolf shout to him, the second of surprise caused him to turn his head, allowing the man beneath him to land a punch in his face that sent him reeling. Then the man grabbed his gun and aimed at Wolf who ducked and fired a shot at the man's hand, blasting the gun out of it.

Seth picked up the weapon and brought it to Wolf who was about to take aim again, but then the operative grabbed Alex, who was recovering from the punch to the side of his head, and revealed a switchblade, holding it at the boys neck." 

"Make one more move and I cut the boys throat."

Wolf froze

"Now drop the gun."

"DON'T WOLF,ITS A TRICK! "Alex shouted fighting the man with all his strength.

"You'd better keep still you little brat before I kill you anyway."

"Just keep still Alex and let me handle it."

"Handle what Wolf? You don't even know what you're dealing with, this is Scorpia. Just don't put down the damn gun."

"I SAID shut up and put down the gun."

"Wolf just shoot, he pl-" Alex was effectively silenced because of the pressure on his throat. The next second a shot rang out and the man dropped dead releasing Alex.   

When he looked up he noticed that Wolf wasn't the one who'd fired the shot, it was Rachel.

**I hope these chapters are of a consistent quality and continue to meet your expectation and above all I hope they continue to be as fun for you to read as they are for me to write.**

**(yawns enormously) Good Night.**


	6. The Countdown Begins

**I'm back again sooner than usual. I believe it's only been about two weeks but this story is just too much fun. Below is the longest chapter I've ever written so far 8,604 words, but I just had to get it all in this chapter which I'm sure you all will appreciate. I want to assure you, because in parts of this chapter you may believe otherwise, but Alex is not going to die in this fic. Almost but not quite. I couldn't do that to our favorite little spy, just when he and Wolf were beginning to get along too.**

**Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter as much I enjoyed writing it.**

**Disclaimer: None needed; the name of the website speaks for itself.**

* * *

Rachel dropped the gun and came running into the room. "Are you all right?" she asked hurriedly as she checked Wolf over.

"Yes, I'm fine."

At the questioning look he gave her, she answered "I made it my business to know where it was and it's not hard to use."

Wolf nodded. "Make sure Alex is okay and neither of you leave this room for anything."

"Be careful," Rachel called to him fearfully.

"I'll be back in a minute. Come on, Seth." The two of them quickly left, scanning the area for anymore hostiles as Wolf made an urgent call on his cell.

"Mon Dieu," Rachel exclaimed quietly reverting to her native language as she stooped down by Alex, scornfully pushing aside the body of the dead man next to him.

"Are you all right?" she asked. But he didn't answer. He just did nothing. His eyes were empty looking and red rimmed and he didn't even seem to realize that Rachel was there, much less talking to him.

The strange indifference frightened Rachel greatly.

She shook his shoulders firmly. "Alex, Alex! Look at me!"

Alex realized that he was scaring Rachel so he spoke but he didn't meet her eyes nor did the empty look leave his.

"I failed. He's dead, all because of me."

"Who?" Rachel asked extremely confused.

One tear slid down the boy's cheek which he furiously wiped away. "Tom."

Rachel tried to remember if he had ever mentioned that name to her. Then she remembered that Wolf had told her that Alex had gone out with a friend, named Tom.

She hugged him ignoring the blood from his busted lip that was staining her dressing gown. "Don't blame yourself Alex; I'm sure it wasn't your fault." But her words were weak. Without knowing anything about the situation she couldn't really comfort him.

He pulled away, crying angrily, and shakily stood up, moving away from her.

"Of course it's my fault! You don't even know what happened," he accused as if her ignorance weren't his doing. "All I had to do was keep my mouth shut and he'd have lived. But I couldn't even do that." He punched the wall painfully, bruising his fingers but seeming not to notice.

"He wasn't supposed to even be in this mess! Only I was. He didn't do anything; he didn't even know anything! but they killed him anyway." Rachel felt tears shining in her own eyes as she watched the child pounding the wall in anguish. She decided to wait until his self-directed anger wore off before she approached him.

"He didn't even die for a reason. I didn't accomplish anything, I didn't stop them, I can't stop them! I—I killed him," He sank down onto the floor with his head in his hands and Rachel came near.

"No! Stay back!" he scrambled up again. "You'll get sick. First the virus, now this break in; Eagle was right, I am too dangerous to have around." He dashed out of the bedroom door and slammed into Snake.

"Hey kid, you okay?" the man caught him before he could fall backwards.

"Leave me alone!" Alex tried to get past him only to bump into Wolf instead. Apparently Wolf had called the rest of his unit for back up and now the whole crew was standing there in the hallway.

He tried to pull away from Wolf as well but the man held him fast. "Alex! Get a hold of your self. We are all going into that room and we're going to find out what's going on NOW! Do you understand?"

"I—you—. . . " Alex couldn't find anything to say so he allowed himself to be dragged into the bedroom.

"Now I want to know what's going on from the beginning and I want the whole truth. We can't help you if you don't let us," Wolf commanded as everyone stood around watching Alex intently.

He sat on the bed and surveyed the group of people before him and began.

"If you want me to start from the beginning then I have to go back to when I first encountered Scorpia," he stated coldly as his sadness gave way to anger.

"Go ahead," Wolf urged ignoring his tone for the time being.

"At the end of my fourth mission," he began, "I got a tip telling me that Scorpia had some information I was looking for, so I went to Venice and found Scorpia and the information. They accepted me into their training and gave me a mission to kill the Deputy head of MI6."

"Excuse me," Eagle interrupted tentatively; he had heard Alex's reference to his comment from earlier that day and it pained him somewhat. He hadn't meant for him to take it like that.

"May I ask what this information that you were after was and just how did you get Scorpia to take you in? You have to understand this all seems so surreal coming from you. I mean no offence, but you're not supposed to be involved with this kind of stuff; you're just a kid."

"So you're thinking what kind of information was it so that a mere child could get it?'" Alex said vindictively.

"Something like that."

"Well no, you may not. That information is very personal and it doesn't pertain to this mission in any way so you don't need to know." Alex answered in a cold, hurt voice.

"I see," Eagle answered without really seeing. "Continue."

"When I narrowly failed to kill Jones, MI6 secretly briefed me on Scorpia's plan to kill all the school kids in London. I did stop them, but Scorpia does not like failure especially from the inside so they sent a sniper to kill me. He didn't quite succeed. Now a month later, Scorpia has another plan to release a deadly virus on the populace if the British government does not change its diplomatic status with America and supply Al Qaeda with weapons in the next month."

"The virus," he continued in a detached voice, "is supposed to be so contagious that once you come in contact with someone who has it, you're bound to get it unless you have some in born immunity to it.

"When Scorpia tried to kill me again at the park," he paused uncertainly but then recovered and continued, "It was because they didn't want me to interfere with this mission."

The child was quiet for a moment and no one rushed him. They were all trying to assimilate everything that he was telling them.

"Then the other day when Tom . . . and I went to the cinema, an operative of theirs cornered us. She said that instead of simply killing me, they would use me to get information about what MI6 is doing about this mission. She said that if I said anything to anyone then she would . . . kill Tom." He wet his lips which were suddenly very dry.

Rachel suddenly realized now what Alex had meant and placed her hand on his shoulder. Wolf looked at the two of them and shook his head sadly, realizing what happened and why he had seen Alex in tears when he'd burst into the room.

Alex shook his head to compose himself. "To make sure I wouldn't be strong enough to oppose them and that I would cooperate, she injected me with the virus." He was interrupted by Rachel's gasp. "I've been trying to stay out of the way, to stay quiet and keep my mouth shut so I wouldn't spread it but that didn't work."

"She said the virus takes about a week to show symptoms of intense pain in the muscles until you die a week after that," He stopped abruptly, apparently remembering something.

"She also gave me a container, that's supposed to be impenetrable, that she said has the antidote in it; as a tease I suppose."

"Where is it?" Wolf asked apprehensively.

Alex got off the bed and opened the drawer where it was supposed to be. When he didn't find it, he made an impulsive motion to break the whole drawer but reigned in his temper before he did.

He decided to check the body of the dead man to see if he had it but it wasn't there. Alex didn't restrain himself from slamming _the_ _man_ in frustration though.

"It's gone; they must have stolen it in case I was able to open it," he growled.

"Okay then," Wolf said, almost gently considering Alex recent loss. "Why did they attack here then?"

"The deal was that when the pain of the illness became too much for me, they would bring me in and give me small doses of the antidote in return for the information, but based on what I heard you all talk about this morning," he gestured towards the members of K-unit, "MI6 acted on the message I sent them yesterday. Since Scorpia probably found out, they most likely came to bring me in prematurely and kill Tom."

Wolf nodded thoughtfully "Do you feel any of the effects of this virus yet?"

The rest of the room tensed, waiting for his response

"Yes. I think my medication or sickness helped it so I already feel slight pain in my arms and legs." There was a collective hiss of disapproval and a strong swear word at his answer.

"Listen, Alex." Wolf came over to him and put a hand on his shoulder squeezing it. "You did the right thing. Despite the consequences, don't worry; we'll make sure it's not in vain. Okay?" He looked down at him with a kind expression on his face.

"Okay," Alex muttered, feeling only marginally better.

"Now, how about you let Rachel help you get cleaned up, and then you can try and get some more sleep. Tomorrow I'll take you down to HQ to see if MI6 can help you out. I think you've done your fair share already so don't worry about anything."

The rest of K-unit left to discuss what they had just learned and Rachel went to get the first aid kit from the bathroom.

"Alex," Wolf called when the room had emptied. "Alex, look at me."

Alex looked up reluctantly, his eyes bright with angry, unshed tears.

"I just want you to know that I understand what happened back there and I'm sorry."

Alex looked back at Wolf with intense eyes for a moment before he jumped to his feet; his attitude suddenly angry and hurt.

"No you don't Wolf! You don't understand anything; nothing about my life! It's not just Tom. That organization messed up my whole damn life!"

He paused in his angry pacing to give Wolf—who, for a moment, wasn't able to hide his surprise—a pained look. "Did you know that Scorpia killed my mother, father, and uncle? Then they sent Jack away missing half an arm. For NOTHING! She went to the park to meet her boyfriend. Now they've killed my best mate too!" He sat down on the bed again achy and miserable.

"I just don't know what to do any more. Nothing works. Everybody who was there to help me got killed, too." He suddenly felt the urge to punch something hard. He slammed his fist into the soft mattress screaming out his frustration. His anger felt like it was going to overwhelm him. It was too much. He wanted to break something, to hurt somebody. Wolf could see it in his face the way his eyes seemed to dart all around looking for something to destroy. He realized that he needed to vent this anger. It was all pent-up inside, threatening to explode.

Alex's eyes fell on the still open drawer of gadgets and right now, as far as he was concerned, they'd done nothing for him. He grabbed one of the pseudo smoke detectors and sailed it across the room. The boy was about to take another when Wolf stopped him.

"Leave me alone!" Alex screamed at him trying to punch him. Wolf then realized that Alex was bound to brake something (or someone) if he didn't find a proper outlet for his anger.

So he nobly gave himself up as a target.

"You could have prevented some of this if you had tried harder," the soldier provoked in an attempt to turn the boy on him. Wolf knew personally that breaking, throwing, or hurting things was an excellent outlet when you had this much anger in you; as long as it was okay to break those things.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS?!" Alex yelled, staring at Wolf incredulously. "You think I sat around and let my friends' lives be messed because I was too lazy?!"

"No, maybe you didn't think; just ran headlong into things."

Alex was fast but Wolf was still able to block the punch that came hurling at his jaw and the kick to his stomach that Alex wildly threw at him.

"You don't understand anything, you _can't_ understand anything!" Alex screamed miserably.

"I understand enough to know that you're simply looking for someone to look sorry for you," Wolf countered deliberately using accusations he was pretty sure weren't true.

"Shut up Wolf! JUST STUP THE HELL UP!!"

"Make me," Wolf taunted quietly.

Alex stared at Wolf, totally appalled by this switch in attitude. If he had been himself he would have probably caught wind of Wolf's strategy, but since he was consumed at the moment by righteous indignation, all he saw was a cruel, ignorant man.

He managed to sock Wolf in the stomach rather thoroughly then, but although the punch had hit its mark there was little strength behind it. So instead, he simply threw himself into the onslaught completely, giving everything he had while Wolf simply blocked, letting the child wear down his temper and see beyond his justified but helpless rage.

A similar experience had taught Wolf that without the proper outlet for ones temper, a person could become extremely dangerous and uncontrollable. Back then, the dangerous one had been Wolf.

Being the only son and middle child of his parents, the model son his father had always wanted, Wolf was often spoiled and exalted above others; _the child who did no wrong_, essentially. By the age of twelve he'd grown accustomed to this; getting his way in most everything, not only at home but abroad as well, basically becoming a world class jerk. Then an accident in which his best friend had died (a stupid accident actually), changed that.

Because the subconscious mindset that led him to believe that in most every situation, things would turn out his way, was so ingrained in him, the loss of his friend was a devastating and unanticipated—even when the diagnosis had been made clear—blow. He was in denial for days and afterwards enraged. Talking about it didn't help because that just wasn't his way. He was a strong, physical child who enjoyed the thrill of a challenge or danger.

What he really wanted to do was fight. To find someone whom he could blame and then hurt.

The anger just built with no one realizing the ticking time bomb amongst them until it exploded at school during a considerable argument with a another student. The fight resulted in a lengthy hospital stay for the unfortunate kid and a lesson to Wolf and his parents about the ills of anger suppression. Since then Wolf had grown out of his spoiled ways, somewhat. But he never forgot the incident nor the consequences of it.

Wolf was not sure how Alex handled his own anger, but if he was as physical with his problems as Wolf had been as a child, then the result of suppressing it just might be as bloody as his was.

So it was with these good, yet strangely executed, intentions that Wolf directed Alex into a short but exhausting one-sided fight.

Rachel had come running as soon as she'd heard the angry yelling, thinking that Wolf had somehow accidentally provoked the boy, which actually had been the case at first. But when she saw what seemed to be an unfair fight, she really got scared. Before she could intervene though, Wolf noticed her and communicated—in a way that only intimate individuals could—that it was best she stay out of it.

Two minutes later, Rachel stood quietly in the doorway with the first aid kit, slightly less confused but no less concerned while Alex stood there trembling and swaying slightly totally worn out. Wolf hesitantly put out a hand to steady him but Alex simply waved it off and sat down on the bed again. A moment of tense silence passed before Alex spoke.

"Thanks."

_Was it just me or had Wolf been holding his breath?_ Alex wondered. Wolf nodded in return and turned him over to Rachel. "I want you to get some sleep after Rachel's finished with you. If you don't want to sleep in here, then you can sleep in the couch downstairs."

Alex nodded his agreement, watching as Wolf left to most likely confer with the rest of his teammates on the best course of action. It occurred to him that a few months ago, the man would have been making remarks about him wetting the sofa in his sleep rather than encouraging him to sleep there if he chose.

_An example of all things that had changed in his life_, he thought.

He sat considering everything that had happened since the attack in the park as Rachel dressed his injuries. In truth, what had happened there had not been an accident and the way how Jack had been injured really left no choice but for her to go somewhere she could have help with the daily things in life that would not be easy again. If he had pursued the notion of revenge and had actually made it out of the country as he had planned, he probably would not be alive. But exactly where was he headed now?

"Thanks Rachel," Alex answered distractedly when she had indicated that the few bruises he had sustained earlier were bound.

He continued to contemplate these things as he gathered a blanket and pillow. Passing the clock in the hallway in an almost daze he realized that it was only 2:00am. He laid down in the sofa trying to figure out what was to become of him. Tom was dead, Jack was sent home and Scorpia was to blame for both dealings. He couldn't deny the pull of revenge; Scorpia could not be allowed to get away with what they had done and were trying to do. But he was in no shape to act on it.

Perhaps a false alliance with them was his only hope but it was a dim one. Scorpia wasn't surviving off of a group of high ranking fools; they weren't going to fall for the same trick twice.

The next thing nagging at his consciousness, was the fact that even if he did succeed and the threat of Scorpia was gone from over his head, where would that land him? He was without a home or family, just an empty house; an orphan in the true sense of the word. Once he was well enough to be turned over to MI6 again, then what?

As far as they were concerned he was not going to be able to work anymore and as much as Alex didn't think so, he still had to consider it. It was something that MI6 and his uncle had—perhaps deliberately—drilled into his head; leave no stone unturned, don't let anything surprise you.

When he really got down to it, this was the worst and lowest time in his life. He was sick, alone, he had no control over his situation, his best friend was dead directly because of something he'd done and Scorpia was unleashing a deadly virus on the entire population of Great Britain.

Alex tried to get relatively comfortable on the sofa, "Oh yeah," he sighed, his voice heavy with sarcasm and wariness. "What fun!"

* * *

When Alex awoke later that morning, he was unpleasantly surprised by a silent house. He quickly got up—instantly regretting it when he brought his weight to bear on his aching legs—and surveyed the room. Then he tiptoed to the kitchen where he found Wolf and Snake talking over coffee, looking as if they had never gone back to bed, with Seth sleeping peacefully at Wolf's foot.

What terrified Alex to no end about this scene was that he could not hear a thing said. All he _could_ hear was an annoying buzzing humming sound in the back of his head that had appeared when he'd reached the kitchen.

Snake and Wolf turned to greet him where he stood in the door way but they stopped at the look of confused horror that showed plainly on his face. Wolf got up and came over, obviously asking what was wrong, but all Alex heard was the same buzzing.

Wolf, beginning to get worried by the look on Alex's face, shook him by the shoulders and called again. Alex looked up at him with a hopeless expression and said loudly, "I can't hear you!"

Suppressing his shock, Wolf tried to calm him hoping the child had simply overreacted to a further decrease in his hearing range. But the look on Alex's face spoke differently.

Snake signaled for Alex to sit at the table and told Wolf that he was going to try a crude hearing test to see if he could find out anything about the kind of hearing loss it was and maybe what had caused it.

After Wolf gave him a piece of paper and a pen, Snake wrote and told Alex to nod if and when he was able to hear what he said. Then he began to count, increasing the volume of his voice with each number while Wolf watch with growing concern. He remembered Alex telling him—no actually fussing—about his medication causing some hearing loss. But this was serious; If the medication could have accelerated the course of the virus, then perhaps it was not unreasonable to assume that the virus had intensified his hearing loss.

The sound of Snake shouting "Eleven!" interrupted his thoughts. Alex shook his head, confused and worried. A moment later, Alex shoved the paper he'd hastily scribbled on, to Snake. It read:

**All I hear is a buzzing noise. When you shout, it's louder but I can't understand you.**

Snake and Wolf glanced at each other. **Can you read lips?** Wolf wrote. Alex nodded.

"Okay," Wolf mouthed. "Get ready to leave for headquarters."

Alex nodded mutely and trudged upstairs to dress. He felt like his whole world was crushing in on him at once. With an immense ache he longed to see Jack.

"What kind of hearing loss is that?" Wolf asked Snake when Alex left.

"I don't know for sure, but from what he says, his ears are fine since he _can _hear; he just can't understand."

"Then it has something to do with his brain then?"

"Or nerves."

"A couple of days ago, he was fussing about how his medication was messing up his hearing."

"Really?" Snake was thoughtful for a second "Did he say anything else?"

"Only that it was the reason we had to call him twice before he heard. Personally though, I think that virus which is supposed to tamper with his nerves may be what's to blame if what he says is true."

Snake looked at Wolf curiously "You say it as if you don't believe him."

Wolf considered the statement for a moment "His story is incredible but I don't really see a reason why he would lie. He doesn't strike me as the kind of kid who makes up sensational stories for attention. Still, I can't just swallow it without a second thought just because he said so."

"We have some pretty hard evidence though. Apart from the bit about the virus, everything else is proven true," Snake countered.

"I know, which is why I pretty much believe what he says. But I'm not going to act like a fool because of that. We're treading on egg shells here."

Snake nodded.

When they arrived at Liverpool Street, they were escorted to Blunt's office immediately.

Mrs. Jones was particularly interested in Alex's wellbeing, asking him if he felt all right. He grimaced, understanding the motion of her lips and thinking about just how loosely the term _all right_ was used.

"Has there been a development in your situation Wolf?" Blunt's asked getting straight to the point.

"Yes, I'm not sure how much Alex has told you, but he's been infected with the virus in order to be used as an information leak. However, Scorpia took steps last night to bring him in and killed his friend because he resisted. What's more, the virus has apparently affected his hearing therefore, as of right now, he's relying on his ability to read lips for information."

That last bit of information proved to be totally unexpected.

"Okay," Alan sighed looking _almost_sympathetic with the child. "Mrs. Jones, have him checked out and then send him to Smithers."

When they were gone, he continued. "Based on the information he sent us, we now know that looking for the source of this virus is futile. We are going to need to find the cure quickly. Since Scorpia wants Alex, we are going to give him to them."

"What?!" Wolf exclaimed.

"We have to. If we can keep knowledge of this meeting secret then they will most likely strike again and bring him in this time. Once he's fitted out by Smithers, He can relay back information to—"

Wolf cut him off "They'll kill him if they catch him doing that! Besides, what happens when he gets too sick; you just leave him to die?! He's already showing signs of it you know!"

"We don't have anyone else! I know it's a risk but sending someone else poses a greater one. We're not going to send him in there unprepared or with out protection but—"

"_What _kind of goddamn protection can you give a sick fourteen-year-old boy in the midst of his enemies, which just happen to be one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world?!" Wolf was losing his patience.

"Since you're obviously not familiar with MI6 procedures and equipment then I suggest you stop questioning my judgment and accept what I'm telling you as the only solution. I hate it as much as you do but we don't have a choice; I don't make compromises based on personal feelings."

Wolf stood up. "I see" he answered icily. "Where is Alex now?"

Alan Blunt pressed the intercom on his desk instead of answering. "Michelle, escort Sergeant Saldana to sub-level D."

When Wolf arrived, Alex was lying on a table seemingly asleep with two unfamiliar, white clad figures hovering over him and Smithers and Jones standing off to the side.

"What going on?" Wolf demanded

Smithers took Wolf aside and explained "You see the last time we sent Alex into Scorpia's midst the one—I should say—inconspicuous gadget he had was discovered and noted. It would be murder to send him like that again so I've developed a few pieces that can be easily concealed under the skin. I have no doubt that they might likely strip him to ensure he's free of surveillance devices but these won't be detected.

"So in other words, you're giving him implants." Wolf answered coldly.

"It's the only way," Jones answered, joining them.

Wolf shook his head in apparent disgust.

"Explain," he demanded.

"Well, I suppose since you're his temporary guardian you deserve to know," Smithers conceded. He led him over to a computer screen and restored an image of Alex's head then clicked the left ear.

"Here are installed audio recording devices. One in each ear that will record in low quality what ever is said or heard with 10 feet of it. The fact that he can not hear on his own may have its few goods in that Scorpia may become slack with what they say around him when they find out. According to the tests, he has sensorineural hearing loss; specifically damage to his cochlear nerve that sends sound information to his brain. Because of the damage, sounds can be heard but are too poor in quality to resemble words."

"Can it be reversed?" Wolf asked, fearing the answer.

"I can't say for sure. We have determined that the virus is to blame but we can't know for sure if the effects are permanent or whether they are also curable with the antidote."

Smithers cleared his throat after a second of silence and clicked a section of the cheek where the molar teeth would be. Inside was a detailed view of Alex's almost perfect teeth.

Then he pointed to one molar near the middle.

"This one here was replaced with a near replica, except that in the event that he is in danger, all he has to do is clench his jaw, depressing the false tooth and we'll get the signal immediately."

Wolf didn't say anything, he just glance over at Alex who was being wheeled over to a bed to sleep off the small dose of anesthesia he'd been given.

"And here . . . " (Smithers clicked the left eye) "is a small camera." When he clicked the eye again, a copy of the outer make-up of the eyes came away and zoomed in to reveal minuscule machinery for taking and saving low quality still images.

"It runs off of the electricity of the body and is minimally intrusive."

"Can he see out of that eye?" Wolf growled.

"Unfortunately, no," Smithers answered; sympathetic but not intimidated.

"Then how is he supposed to function if he can't hear and he can only see out of one eye?!"

Smither's shrugged "I can only make certain that the devices I give him are as comfortable as possible while meeting their requirements; I'm sorry, but he and the camera can't see at the same time."

"Typical," Wolf grumbled.

"We need to discuss tomorrow's hand over," Mrs. Jones said to Wolf and lead him to an adjacent office.

When Alex came around ten minutes later, Wolf was still arguing with Mrs. Jones over the credibility of their plan and the one installation the had decided to keep secret from Alex even though it was fatally important to him. "Do seriously think they are going to act exactly as you've planned? They don't seem all that predictable to me."

"Wolf, I respect your experience in what you do so please respect mine. We've been dealing with Scorpia for years and one thing we know for sure is that they don't use the same method twice unless it proved extremely successful the first time; if a back door attempt failed last time, next is a front or side attempt."

Wolf sighed but acknowledged the truth of her words. "Now let me ask you something, this mission, the consequences, the possible outcome, shouldn't Alex at least know what could full well happen to him? I mean if you have a conscience, you sure as hell aren't going to want that sitting on it."

"I do what I must Wolf, I don't like it and I don't claim to. What I have to do must be done." with that she turned away and went to see how Alex was doing.

"How do you feel?" Mrs. Jones asked as she and Wolf approached the bed Alex was getting up from, trying to get accustomed to seeing from one eye.

After watching her closely to understand what she said. After she repeated it, he answer sharply "Like I've been run over by a car or two; not that you care though."

Before she could respond he continued looking around "Here I am, back in the midst of the organization I detest. What can I say, I have no choice."

Wolf wasn't surprised by Alex's suddenly sour attitude. In fact he secretly enjoyed it; just because Blunt and his group thought they were doing the right thing, didn't mean it was going to be received with open arms and a pat on the back; especially when it was at someone else's expense.

"Alex, believe me, if there was another way to do this I wouldn't hesitate to do it." Mrs. Jones tried to console him.

Alex stared at her with angry brown eyes slightly clouded by fatigue.

"Right, and if I were a certified fool I might of bought what you said. Look, I have enough experience with you to know that your biggest and only concern is getting the job done; you didn't become Deputy Head of Special Ops by caring about any individual in particular and neither did Blunt. So why start for me? Just brief me and get on with it."

Mrs. Jones sighed and went over the mission specifics with him on paper leaving out the part about the retrieval of the antidote. As Wolf watched he decided that when they got home, he was going to tell him anyway; it was his right to know.

On the way back to the house Alex was not as quiet as usual; "Can I ask you something, Wolf?"

Wolf glanced at the boy in surprise.

"I know we haven't known each other that long but I think only you or Rachel will be able to answer," he continued, looking up.

"Sure, go ahead," Wolf answered. Alex's words were slightly warped at times do to the fact that his ears weren't able to check what his mouth did, but mostly he got what he was saying across.

"Where am I going to go, if I finish this mission, after the two weeks is up?" Alex hoped he didn't sound desperate or pleading because he had no intention of begging Wolf or Rachel for anything. But the question had been nagging at him since it occurred to him last night, and if there was anything he hated, it was unpleasant surprises.

"According to my doctors, you say, I'm not going to work for MI6 again so where does that leave me?"

Wolf was silent for a while before he answered, truly regretfully, "I honestly don't know."

The look on Alex's face at his answer pulled on something Wolf only peripherally knew he had. It wasn't as though he looked devastated or anything. It was more subtle than that. He looked weary; tired of uncertainty and yet understanding of the answer and situation; as if he hadn't expected any better. Hadn't expected anyone to be able to answer his questions or help him. He didn't feel he could count on anyone and who could blame him? Yet he seemed to have hoped otherwise.

Wolf couldn't quite describe the way he felt but he knew the usual its-none-of-my-business tough guy attitude had no place in this situation. Somehow Alex had grown on him despite everything and now he wanted to really help him. He finally added,

"But I'll find out."

Alex looked up at the sudden influx of buzzing noise in his head to see if Wolf had spoken again but all he saw was a familiar determined expression on his face.

Alex had never seen Rachel so angry before. When he had walked pass the kitchen doorway where the two adults were fussing, her face had been livid as she shouted something at Wolf who didn't seem to be in the spirit of the argument. As if he agreed with her to an extent, but he still answered angrily. Alex wondered if it was because of him, but he was in too much pain to really care. He just wanted to get everything over and done with, instead he closed his eyes for a short nap on the sofa.

"How could you allow them to do that and then bring me into it too?!" Rachel screamed.

"Its not like I wanted to you know, but there is no other way!"

"Do you really buy that bullshit from them? Sure there's no other way _as easy as this one _you mean_._"

"Do you really think I'm so selfish I would sit back and accept this thing without a question; with out checking it out myself?!"

Rachel folded her arms. "I am not participating in the glorified murder of a child, because to send him in there like that when the freaking devils obviously want him dead _is_ murder. He's supposed to be here recuperating from some idiot accident and now you want me to turn around and throw him back to the ravenous dogs he's been running from?! I'm sorry but I just can't see myself doing that."

"Things come up Rachel!" Wolf yelled back "I didn't plan to have Scorpia show up and start poisoning the whole country. Neither did I single out Alex to be the one to fix everything. I wouldn't hesitate to go myself but it simply wouldn't work."

"I'm not trying to lay the blame completely on you James, I don't want you to trade places either, but how can you help to hand him over instead of find a different way. Suppose they decide he's not so important to them anymore and they shoot him right there. Or they find out about this false information and kill him because of it? It's just as risky as any other way James."

"No Rachel, I argued the same point and we went over every thing, there is no other way we can get in with out them realizing."

"But we're supposed to _help_ him, not _kill_ him," she said softly shaking her head at the injustice of it all.

Wolf hugged her softly." I know, but there's nothing else we can do Rachel."

"Then what's to be the back-up plan in case this fails?"

"That, they wouldn't say."

"There isn't one, is there?"

Wolf shrugged helplessly "I asked but they won't say which means that's probably the case."

"Boy, I'd hate to be that important." Rachel hugged her self with pity for the child.

Wolf merely nodded

On her way up to their room later, Rachel added "It may seem childish, but I will not be the one to lead him out to them as planned. You can do that yourself. I feel that something is going to happen and I couldn't live with something like that on my conscience forever."

* * *

"When I said I didn't want any mistakes what the hell did you think I meant? You tell me you're sending your best man out there and you best man gets killed!

"Do I pay you to have my plans screwed by a little boy?"

"No Sir."

"You have one more chance to bring him in. Kill any opposition unless they pose an obvious advantage in the situation. If the boy is too sick to provide you with any information then wait until you get here to give him any medication and I want this done by tomorrow evening."

"Yes Sir."

"And allow me to give you a piece of advice; do it yourself Ariel." He leaned across the table. "I insist."

The shamed operative retreated down the hall to concur with her colleagues on a better course of action.

That night, Alex sat down on the sofa thinking long and hard after Wolf had already gone to bed. Apparently Rachel had business to attend to at her parent's house; something about them needing help to move.

Seth came around from time to time and was a comforting presence. The truth was that Alex was more scared than he'd ever been on a mission before. So many things could go wrong that it was mind boggling. The future—as uncertain as he was about it—would be unbearable if Scorpia succeeded in their plans. He was too worried and in too much pain to relax but he fell into a fitful sleep nonetheless.

The next morning was no different except that Wolf was being particularly nice to him for some reason. By mid-morning nothing had happened so Alex's worry gave way to curiosity as to why exactly was Wolf was acting like this.

"Do you think I'm not going to live?" Alex asked when Wolf had finished adjusting the sofa so he could rest more comfortably in it considering the now constant pain throughout his body.

Wolf turned and gave him a strange look and mouthed clearly, "You're in pain right? I'm trying to help you," was his answer. He obviously didn't want to answer Alex's question exactly.

Alex settled into the chair said thank you and continued "I've had the odds against me enough times to understand that if it's a mission's as risky as this, I might not live."

Wolf looked at Alex for a moment, thinking about the fact that he wasn't such a bad kid. He was rather intelligent company, he didn't act at all like the snot nose high connections brat he'd expected and if he didn't survive he was going to miss him. He got up and went into the kitchen to get himself something to eat.

Alex kind of missed the company, but not a whole lot, he just rathered if he weren't alone right now. He glanced around the room looking for something to occupy himself for the time being and his eyes fell on an envelope on the coffee table seemingly addressed to him. He picked it up, turning it over to see if there was any clue as to who it was from but all he saw was the word 'Cub' written in a hand that he didn't immediately recognize.

He tore open the flap and pulled out a hand written letter.

**_Alex,_**

**_If it weren't for the fact that you can't hear right now, I would have told you in person but this is the next best way because you need to know._**

**_Of all the implants that Smithers gave you, there's one that they didn't tell you about because of the fact that you're probably not going to live after it takes effect._**

**_Because of the fact that it's going to be very difficult and time consuming if not impossible to find the antidote in Scorpia's compound, you have a chemical implant that is going to absorb the antidote every time they give you any amount. You probably realize that this means if and when they get a hold of you MI6 can now extract and mass produce the unused antidote from your body._**

**_I want you to know that no matter what happens on this mission our previously tentative friendship hasn't stayed that way. I don't hate or dislike as you seem to think and if given the chance I would have made an effort to get to know you. _**

**_Your the little soldier on are team and I admire the skill and bravery that you have in what you do; and if worst comes to worst, we're all going to miss you._**

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Wolf_**

Alex read it again two more times trying to grasp what he was being told. He wasn't going to live. That's what Wolf was telling him; that according MI6, there was a 99 chance that he would die on this mission. And there was nothing he could do about it, because if he backed down now, millions upon millions of others would die.

Alex glanced down at the hand that still held the letter, and saw that it was trembling. His whole body was trembling with anticipation of the pain and depressing horror. To his surprise, his left eye smarted as his vision swam with tears. He- he hadn't thought of it ending like this. He had hoped to see Jack again and apologize for her horrible injury, to at least say good bye or to maybe have her by his side as he died of injuries in a hospital bed.

But then reality set in and deep down he knew that as long as he did those dangerous missions for MI6, he could hope for nothing but an abrupt ending without consolation or comfort but perhaps mercy. Now he was to be denied even that.

He tried to blink away the tears but they came anyway, wetting the paper and his one eyed perception of the room, next he knew Wolf was sitting down silently beside him with a hand around his shoulders.

"You know Wolf I'm not brave, all the things I've ever done that seemed to be courageous, they weren't, I only did them because I had to."

Wolf simply squeezed his shoulder but said nothing.

"I though I might at least get to say good bye to Jack but I don't even know where she is to contact her." he buried his head in his hands.

Wolf wrote on a piece of paper hating to see him so torn up.

**I am not forcing you to go through with this Alex. MI6 be damned, you can only ask so much of a person and no more. **

Alex read it and then shook his head. "I have to; if I don't millions of other innocent people including you and Rachel will die. After everything you all have done for me I can't afford to not go. If it will stop Scorpia from getting their way again I have to.

He smiled mirthlessly "I wonder what MI6 is going to do with their problems when I'm gone." Alex shook his head with sadness for all the things left undone and the tears ran anew.

Sitting there on the sofa with depressing silence enveloping him cause the sound of the doorbell, which reached his perception clearly, to startle him into an involuntary panic as Wolf went cautiously to check who it was; because knowing what that sound could imply caused him to loathe it immensely. He heard what sounded like an argument based on all the fuzz in his head. As planned he went to the door to see for himself what was going on.

He saw Wolf steadfastly denying a woman he recognized as Carmen, entry to the house. Despite his growing fear which was only magnified by the sight of the woman who had started it, he opened the door and stepped out.

"Why hello Alex." She directed at him with a sweet expression on her face.

Before she could continue Wolf said something to Alex, but he wasn't looking so all he heard was a buzz. Wolf grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and turned him to look at his face. "Get back in the goddamn house Alex!"

Alex realized that Wolf wasn't acting anymore, he really wanted Alex to go back inside instead of go through with the plan, but it was too late.

"Stop!" Carmen shouted to Wolf and pulled out a gun. "Put your hands where I can see them else I will have him shot." Wolf looked up and noticed they were surrounded by mostly hidden snipers guns at ready. It would be suicidal to move, but he held Alex's shoulder firmly.

"Remove it." she gestured toward the hand on Alex's shoulder, "before I blow his head off."

When Wolf did as commanded she summoned Alex to her with a terse call. Alex however, had his eyes constantly trained on the gun. He hated this situation; usually when face with this sort of problem he'd be frantically searching for an escape but now he was supposed to get captured and he couldn't stand it.

When Alex made no indication that he'd heard what she said, Carmen shouted only to be interrupted by Wolf in a scornful tone. "He can't hear." He was barely able to prevent himself from making a nasty remark which would have likely escalated the severity of the situation.

"What do you mean?" She asked

"Your # virus made him deaf you..."he caught himself " that's what I mean."

Carmen sneered "Well isn't that a shame." She nodded almost imperceptibly and two men appeared and grabbed Alex. Wolf made to grab him but was detained.

"Nice knowing you."

As soon as Alex was grabbed he tensed partly from pain but mostly because he knew something critical was about to happen. Then he saw Carmen raise her arm, that arm tensing to fire the gun and Wolf standing stoically in the line of fire if it meant that Alex wouldn't be killed right there and then. Suddenly Alex found himself shouting.

"Don't shoot! I'll do what you say, just don't kill him!"

Everyone turned to look at him with different ideas in their head. The Scorpia agents were thinking that Wolf could prove to be useful if they could blackmail Alex with him as with Tom. Carmen was also thinking that the Tom idea had mostly failed and was weary of this suggestion. Wolf on the other hand wondered briefly whether Alex would have spoken up if Tom was still alive, then the next second he silently vowed to get him out of this situation as payment for saving his life even if he didn't survive it.

Carmen calculated the pros and cons of the proposal and decided to discard it. She was about to shoot anyway while her colleagues carried Alex off to a vehicle when the boy screamed again.

"I said I'll do what ever you say just don't kill him too. You don't need to, I won't try to escape." his eyes reflected desperation.

Carmen decided to rethink her strategy; maybe the supposed death of Tom had put some fear into child. The man _could_ be of use.

"I can still hurt him though," she said cruelly and shot Wolf anyway in his right arm, so in case they changed tactics he couldn't use a gun unless he was ambidextrous.

Wolf staggered clutching his arm but did not fall. It was reminiscent of being shot by Ms. Stellenbosch but he was able to handle this one better because he expected it. He glanced at Alex as more men led him in the same direction and the look on the child's face said that he really did care.

"Put them in the car," Carmen barked. She hoped she was doing the right thing in this matter else her boss would have her head; literally.

**Done! Can't wait to upload the next chapter which is already half written but only quarter of the way through the whole writing process, until then chew on the events in this chapter will you.**

**Later.**


	7. T minus 10 in Counting

**Hi, I'm back with (I think) the long awaited chapter 7 of For Better Or For Worse**

**Hi, I'm back with (I think) the long awaited chapter 7 of For Better Or For Worse. Seriously you people make me so happy when I know that you're enjoying my story and now that my gracious beta Reidluver has helped me to correct some grammar errors and the like this chapter is ready to be enjoyed by my lovely audience.**

**Any way here's the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Alex Rider and co. I would have change the way the movie played out. **

* * *

The drive to the Scorpia headquarters for this assignment was long and strenuous for Alex. With the virus beginning to take its toll on his body, the constant sudden contact with the walls as they outmaneuvered any pursuers was unusually painful and trying.

Alex knew it had to be painful for Wolf as well. The man wasn't showing any obvious signs of pain, but his face was very pale and his expression pinched as he clutched his forearm to stem the blood flow.

After a particularly harrowing turn, Alex decided to take a strip from his own shirt to wrap Wolf's arm. When it was crudely but tightly wrapped, Wolf tried flexing the arm to see if he could still use a gun if he ever got a hold of one. But the woman had aimed skillfully, completely incapacitating the muscles that enabled him to flex his fingers, rendering that arm useless. Being in the SAS, he had been trained in ambidextrous combat to a certain degree, but it remained indisputable that his left would not aim as reassuringly accurate as his right.

Sighing, he nodded a thanks to Alex for the makeshift bandage. Alex nodded in return and turned to continue staring out the window. After awhile he realized that the camera in his left eye was probably recording their route.

Finally they stopped in front of a small, innocent-looking, cabin-like house in the middle of a slightly sloped open field, across were more open fields.

A second later, Carmen opened the car door on Alex's side and yanked him out, making him stumble. Someone else did the same to Wolf, but he faired much better than Alex, even with his injured arm.

They were led into the house and down a long flight of steps to a pristine, high tech basement. Then they turned left and entered a large, white room. It was completely empty except for a tall, interesting looking man with black hair and eyes, and a physique similar to Yassen's. He had one hand in the pocket of his black pants and a look of unshakable confidence on his face.

"Thank you Mastrat, I'll be taking it from here." he spoke in a clear, almost musical, voice with no accent.

Wolf glanced at the woman who had shot him and saw a confused and angry look on her face.

"You must be mistaken Sockai. I was placed in control of this mission."

Sockai laughed, "Actually, the mistake Mastrat, is that you've made too many. Mr. Kepler has seen fit to relieve you of the seniority of this assignment. You've outlived your usefulness." He turned to two of the other operatives in the room. "Deal with her."

"If you think this will go unchallenged Sockai you're as delusional as you claim not to be!" Carmen yelled as the men forcefully led her into the hallway and down a different walkway to what Wolf assumed was a holding cell of some kind.

Then the man named Sockai, completely ignoring her outburst, turned to Alex. "Unlike her, I don't make assumptions or predictions based on meager facts or large speculations. I function on definite knowledge. I am not going to assume that you weren't set up by MI6 to get captured, nor am I going to assume that you haven't been prepared for this encounter with equipment. What I am going to do is strip you down and check myself. Then I'll know for certain." By the end of his little speech the man seemed confused by Alex's indifference. He had been told that Alex was unpredictable and cheeky. But this boy didn't even seem to hear him.

He came closer and gave him a backhand across the face causing Wolf to inwardly wince. "Did you hear me or do you not care?"

Before the next blow came Alex spoke, "I can't hear you." He realized a spilt second later that the man would take it as mockery, which he did. The next blow knocked him to the floor.

Wolf stepped forward "He means what he says. He can't hear; _anyone_."

Sockai looked at Wolf suspiciously. "Since when?"

"Since the virus started to take effect."

"I don't believe you of course but we'll soon know for sure, after he's debugged. MI6 thinks they're smart but they've never dealt with me."

Alex, still struggling to get up from the floor, felt it to be in his best interest to try—despite the eyestrain—to read what he could from this man's lips. The only words Alex could garner from him though were _MI6, bugged, _and_ smart_. He decided to assume the worst and began rapidly formulating a plan to get out of the examination just incase Smithers was mistaken about the gadgets. Instead of continuing to get up, he allowed the pain and fatigue to wash over him and stayed on the floor, exhibiting all the signs of the sickness he felt.

Wolf looked on in alarm as Alex stopped trying to get up and instead lay there in a fetal position. He called, knowing partially that it was no use but hoping nonetheless that he would respond to the noise.

Sockai glanced at Wolf and then grabbed Alex by the arm to drag him to his feet. But Alex wasn't entirely acting and he didn't seem able to be standing on his own two feet anymore.

"Get up," Sockai commanded calmly, drawing blood with this slap. His uncanny ability to stay composed served to fuel Wolf's anger

"Damn it! Can't you see your freak virus is killing him?!" Wolf shouted.

"You'd better make him find his strength then, before I give him a good reason not to be able to stand," Sockai countered.

He stepped back and allowed Wolf to come over and try to communicate sense to Alex. But even as Wolf shook him slightly and tried to tell him to get up, Alex just shook his head and sagged further. "I just can't," he whispered. Alex didn't feel quite as bad as Wolf was probably assuming, but for the act to be convincing Wolf had to think he was dying too.

Wolf, growing desperate but not showing it, pulled him to his feet again but Alex just groaned, "I can't Wolf, stop it."

"It's no use. He isn't playing around."

"He'll get a quarter portion of the antidote after we've scanned him."

"Can't you see? He's getting worse! It's in your best interest to keep him alive if you want to get any information out of him."

"So he did break the agreement. It's a good thing we killed Harris then," Sockai smirked knowing the kid he spoke of wasn't dead yet.

"Do you think I'd let the whole breaking into my house thing go without questioning; he had to tell me."

"Nice excuse," the man laughed. "The question is; who else did he tell? Anyhow, he won't die before I'm through; he'll probably experience a little well-deserved pain though."

Wolf looked as though he was about to argue further but Sockai stopped him. "You're becoming problematic," he directed the two operatives from before. "Take him to the PC cell." With that Wolf was forcefully pulled and shoved from the room.

As he was driven down the hall, Wolf worried, in particular, about what Alex's unexpected breakdown could mean for him.

He had argued with Mrs. Jones against the installation of the binding chemical for nearly half an hour but it had been no use. MI6 was convinced that everything else was going to fail and that this idea was ingenious indeed; no one would ever suspect such a thing.

Wolf sighed, no amount of antidote that Alex got was going to help him and if he had already degraded so far, then he could be dead by the end of the night.

Wolf shook his head in disgust as he was shoved into another virtually empty room. Sitting there strapped into a solitary wooden chair, he decided to use the time to come up with a plan to save the child from those who would extinguish his life so cruelly.

Sockai had Alex dragged into an adjacent room, put on a table, and every article of his clothing discarded. Sockai then concentrated on checking his facial features for possible devices, clearly remembering the braces that Nile had missed.

Alex was not exactly unconscious but everywhere hurt too much for him to make an effort to move. He was awake enough to know that the man was checking him for surveillance devices, despite his plan to dissuade him and to be frightened by it, but he could not move any part of his body in protest to the harsh treatment. He was also beginning to think that his plan to let go of his steel resolve to keep the pain at bay had been a bad idea.

Using a penlight, Sockai checked his mouth and teeth, ears and nose. He carefully examined every limb to make certain there were no skin colored devices hidden on the surface and last, using a fine toothcomb, he vigorously combed through his hair as if removing lice. Then he had him dressed in white jumpsuits with a tracking device installed in the waistband and sent him to the infirmary.

"He's clean," Sockai pronounced as he followed the gurney into the infirmary talking to the Dr. Dave.

"But I find it strange that he didn't come in contact with MI6 at anytime. However I don't intend to fail," he continued. "Whatever they're dearly hoping for isn't going to happen."

"Give him a one quarter dose of the antidote and let me know as soon as he awakens; I'll be in the interrogation room."

* * *

At St. Ann's Hospital, Rachel was on duty at the Nurses Station; however, she was beginning to think she would become a danger to her patients because of her constant worry for Wolf and Alex. She noticed herself occasionally slipping up and that was unacceptable. A co-worker came up to her and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"What's wrong Rae? You haven't been yourself all morning. Something happen?"

Rachel nodded reluctantly, Emma was very perceptive to others' feeling, part of what made her such a good nurse; it was no use trying to hide something by merely keeping a straight face. "Remember the child I told you about who's staying at my place for awhile?"

"Hmm."

"Well he's come down with this strange virus that we've come across and with everything else that he's been through, I don't think he's going to survive. I've grown kind of fond of him you know, and he's already getting sicker."

"Lord, have mercy. My prayers go out to him. How old is he?"

"14."

"I don't know what else to say, but be strong my dear, I know you're doing everything you can for him as if he were your own." Emma hugged her. "Will you be alright?" Rachel nodded. "You don't hesitate to talk if you need to okay."

Rachel nodded again.

"I'll be on to my duties then. Take care!" Emma gave her one more concerned glanced before leaving.

Rachel thought about what she'd said for a second and then called Wolf on his cell to see if he and Alex were okay. Emma was a good woman but Rachel couldn't have possibly told her what was really bothering her.

After 17 rings and no answer she assumed the worst and called Fox instead. He had known about the plan MI6 had set up and would probably be able to tell her if something had happened.

"Hello, Ben?"

"Hi, Rachel," Rachel noted that he seemed to sound rather grim.

"I was wondering if you'd heard from James. I can't get through to him and I was thinking you might know about it."

Rachel heard him sigh into the phone "Um Rachel, I think he might have been taken too. The house is empty and there's no sign of him anywhere."

Rachel's breath caught. "Can you be sure that he didn't just go out for something?"

Fox sighed again and said something to someone. When he answered his voice was definitely grim. "Yeah."

"Well, what is it?" Rachel struggled to keep her voice calm.

"There was some blood on the door and porch, we don't know whose."

Rachel closed her eyes and gripped the desk to keep from fainting with dread.

"Rachel, are you okay?"

"I'm still here," her voice trembled slightly.

"We're still looking, okay? Don't worry too much."

"Ben, is there anything else I should know?"

There was an audible silence that stretched into long seconds. The rest of K-unit had come across the letter from Wolf to Alex outlining what they hadn't known about MI6's plan. But they didn't know how much Rachel knew or should know. After what seemed like a full two minutes he said, "No."

"For some reason, I disagree," Rachel told him, trying to suppress her sudden unreasonable anger at him.

"It can wait until you get home."

"Ben, I have a right to know."

"We can't discuss it over the phone." He didn't want to do it, but to ward off any more questions he hung up on her.

Her day had just gotten a whole lot worse but she was determined to get through it.

* * *

"Sir, I'm not sure what's happening but the antidote is not working. He's not improving as he should."

"What do you mean it's not working, Dr. Dave? Your job is to make it work!"

"Sir, his is a special case. The pain spasms have not decreased in frequency and I do not—"

"Is he awake?"

"Yes, Sir but—"

"Then send him down."

"Sir, I don't think he will be—"

"I did not ask for your opinion, Doctor. I told you to send him to me in the interrogation room."

"Yes, Sir!"

"And one more thing; test his hearing for me. His guardian claims he's deaf."

"He is to words, Sir. Language is a garbled mess to him because his sound processing nerves are damaged by the virus. However, he can hear loud, simple sounds like a gunshot, thudding foot steps, etc."

"I see, well send him anyway."

A few minutes later Alex entered the room where Sockai was sitting at a desk occupied by two computer monitors and a microphone. The first thing he noticed was that Sockai seemed very pleased with himself and what he'd done so far. Not being able to understand what was going on was becoming a real pain in the arse to Alex, but not more so that the slow burn he was beginning feel all over his body now.

For lack of anywhere better to sit he lowered himself into the chair across from Sockai on the opposite side of the desk and started at the man with contempt.

Sockai spoke into the microphone and thanks to the speech recognition program apparently at work, what he said appeared clearly on the screen for Alex to read.

**"What I want you to do is very simple. I will ask you a question, and you answer with the truth and nothing else. If you don't I will know and I will punish you. Do you understand?" **

Alex thought about what he was getting at and decide for now he would play along; he didn't have the energy to do much else anyway. "Yes."

**"Good. Did you come in contact with MI6 at anytime between the other night and now?"**

The man sat back waiting for an answer while Alex tried to think of an effective way around the question.

"Do you really believe that I'm going to tell you the absolute truth?" he asked scornfully.

Sockai smiled and turned on the second monitor without a word. There, Alex saw Wolf sitting in an empty room with two guards to the side and back of him.

**"I want every detail of the encounter."**

Alex thought about it and then settled on a probable (but untrue) scenario.

"It was only for a short time and I wasn't the one who saw them."

**"I believe you still know what transpired though."**

"Well, maybe you believe wrong."

**"I wonder just how much electric current your friend here can withstand before he collapses from the pain."**

Alex looked mildly shocked but sighed, "After the attack last night I gave Wolf the vial with the antidote in it to give to MI6. But I didn't go with him."

**"You lied!" **Sockai declared still looking at Wolf.

"No I didn't!" Alex yelled indignantly wondering what he planned to do.

**"Yes, you did."**

He pressed a button and talked into the mic again but what he said apparently went through a speaker to Wolf's room. One of them stepped forward with a Taser gun in his hand, set to drive stun, and pressed it to Wolf's arm but didn't engage it.

**"Now I'll ask you again and if you lie I will have him shocked. What are the details of the encounter you had with MI6 that night?"**

"I already told you, you're just assuming that I'm lying so you can have a reason to do this you sadistic freak."

Sockai laughed. **"Wrong answer boy." **

Sockai gave the command and the guard held down on the trigger causing Wolf to be painfully stunned by the Taser charge continually.

**"You start talking the truth and I'll have him stop."**

Alex stared at the screen in shocked disgust as Wolf was needlessly and constantly shocked.

"I already told you!"

**"I don't believe you. You know exactly what happened and I need to know as well."**

Alex knew that to back down now would mean a whole lot more trouble for both him and Wolf. He glanced at Wolf, who was in obvious agony with tightly pressed lips and closed eyes, then looked back at the man.

"There's nothing else for me to tell," he near choked on his voice. Sockai glanced at the screen where Wolf was beginning to go limp.

**"No, you haven't."**

"YES I HAVE! Damn it, you're killing him! There's nothing else I can say!"

Sockai told the man to stop.

**"I know the way to verify your story and when I prove that you're lying, you're going to beg for mercy."**

Alex watched with dread as Sockai spoke into the mic again. The guard prodded Wolf with the Taser so that he wearily sat up and looked directly at the screen.

**"Did you come in contact with MI6 between the night of the attack and now?"**

Wolf looked at the screen in disgust for a second before smirking. He, despite his fatigue and pain, was amused by the audacity of the villain. "I didn't make it through two months of SAS interrogation training for nothing. You could go to hell before I simply tell you what you want to know," he laughed scornfully, "for free."

Sockai's lips became a thin line, "Do what ever you want with him. I'll be down in a little while," he told the guards.

As the two guards started their harsh treatment again Sockai turned off the monitor, to Alex's dismay and turned to him with a menacing expression on his face.

**"Next question, how did MI6 find out that the source of the virus was untraceable?"**

Alex hesitated long enough for Sockai to assume that he was about to lie. Smirking Sockai leaned closer.

**"I'll let you in on a little piece of information." **Alex just looked at the screen with a bored yet hateful expression. Sockai continued,** "Tom Harris is not dead." **He was pleased by the look of shocked disbelief on Alex's face.

**"That's right Alex, we bluffed, just so we could devastate you twice. You see, if you don't answer my questions truthfully I will torture him instead. He can't hold his own can he? Not like your other friend."**

He turned on the monitor again but this time Alex saw Tom sitting in a small room all by himself, his face was tear streaked and paler than usual. The next second a man came in and Tom stood up looking fearful of the Taser gun that the man held.

Alex looked at Sockai in pure hatred and hissed. "I told them."

Sockai laughed **"'Atta boy, now what did you use to send the message?"**

Alex hesitated again and Sockai pressed the button to say something to talk to the guard in Tom's room. "I—" Sockai turned back to him.

"I used a device I was given about a week ago."

**"I see, what about the game, who so generously designed it for you?"**

Alex was about to answer but instead he closed his eyes and hunched over the table as a wave of alternately chilling and burning pain washed over his body, starting at the base of his neck and spreading at last to his fingers and toes. As he tried to ward off the most painful wave yet, he bit his lip hard trying not to cry out as he had in the infirmary, in front of this man who gained pleasure from his suffering. Alex swayed slightly as he rode through the last of the bout with the ending sensation being similar to having all of your toes and fingers slammed in a heavy metal door with your back on fire.

As it finally passed, he slumped against the desk further; his loss of energy leaving him barely conscious.

Sockai watched, sadistically fascinated until it was finished then he poked the kid brutally in the side until his attention returned to the screen that he had been reading from.

**"Who gave it to you?"**

Alex momentarily forgot the consequences of freely speaking his mind as he lost his temper because of his current, violent frustration. So he allowed his usual sarcastic attitude to color his tone.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

**"I'm guessing he must be very high up in Special Ops to reveal that kind of information."**

"I bet you never won a game of Twenty Questions before."

Sockai said something to the guard who fired two Taser darts at Tom who yelled in painful indignation when they pierced the skin of his arm.

Alex gasped as he watched. "The Deputy Head of Special Ops," he answered.

**"Dear old Jones Alex? Don't make me laugh, you can do better than that, her name isn't even 'Smithers'."**

Tom was shot again in his leg this time.

"Okay, okay you can bloody well stop now."

_Smooth move, Alex,_ the young agent chided himself "Smithers did it with out permission. He's the covert devices specialist; not extremely powerful as you can see."

**"Powerful enough to give you information I want Alex. You would do well to be so kind as to give it."**

"I'm running a little low on kindness you see, perhaps you could tell me why."

**"I could tell you that Tom Harris is going to hate you after this." **He began to talk in to the mic again.

"Well you didn't ask me anything more." Alex interjected impatiently.

Sockai laughed and had the guard explain to the boy that his punishment was the result of Alex's lack of cooperation. Then he turned to continue with Alex but the boy had his head lying on the table again.

Jabbing Alex in the ribs again, the man gestured to the screen but since Alex was getting worse, the poke just initiated another spasm, one which left him unconscious for a minute before Sockai decided that perhaps another quarter dose of antidote was in order.

After the second amount was administered by Dr. Dave and nothing happened after ten minutes as it should of, Sockai decide to change tactics as he was often known to do.

He had Alex dragged into the room where Wolf was and dropped in the corner. The soldier was slumped in his chair and bedraggled looking but obviously triumphant; the guards looked put out by the lack of 'give' in him. When the door opened he looked up and his eyes widened in alarm at Alex's condition for a second before his face returned to a blank stare.

"Your friend here is dying," Sockai stated in a conversational tone. "I need information from you instead. And I don't play nicely like these slackers here."

Wolf looked at Sockai for a moment and then said, "I'm sure you don't," in a tone similar to an adult reassuring a child that he wasn't being doubted but subtly indicating that he wasn't being taken seriously either.

Sockai laughed as he shoved Alex into a corner of the room. "You're a young one aren't you, fresh out of training with the delusional idea that you can withstand anything, right?"

Wolf's only answer was a seemingly nonchalant shrug.

"I remember when I use to think like that, I didn't know what a foo—"

"Pardon the interruption in your stroll down memory lane," Wolf interjected patronizingly, "but you said something about information from me, not best forgotten tales of your not so beloved crèche years." He really wasn't in the mood for any chitchat and if that's what this man planned on doing he was going to let him know, right away, to forget it.

Sockai was effectively silenced. He calmly glared at Wolf as though trying to retain some semblance of composure while struggling to suppress his anger as well.

He took out a gun and aimed it as Alex's head and said, "The game is simple, I ask you a question, you answer truthfully, and if you don't—I shoot him."

Wolf considered it for a second and decided to put his plan into play with a few adjustments. One of his many talents was that he was a brilliant strategist. Predicting, utilizing, and then countering an opponent's response to a maneuver was one of the things he did best; one of the reasons he was the leader of his team, the other being his natural propensity to be bossy.

Right now it felt like more gambling to him, but it wasn't to be avoided.

"That sounds kind of wasteful don't you think? If I mess up once, you kill him and all you get is one lie and zero truths."

Sockai smirked. "Still counting on your invincibility and total resistance to any Pain Compliance equipment I might have in back. I admit, your courage is admirable but I assure you I will get that information. "

"And how long will it take—days, a week?"

"That's assuming that you have the guts to sit here and cause the death of him." He gestured to Alex who was awake and trying to think of a plan through the haze of pain. Strangely, the unintelligible mess that he was growing accustomed to was becoming slightly less so. He could catch a couple of words from time to time if he concentrated hard enough.

"What is he to you anyway?" Sockai continued. "Son, nephew, little brother?"

"Teammate and friend."

"I see, well I doubt you'll let him die after only one question, more likely—"

"I have a better idea," Wolf perilously cut him off again "I give you my word that I will tell you what you want to know if you will give Alex enough of the antidote to have an effect on him."

Sockai laughed as though he was just told a hilarious joke. "So now we've moved on from petty insults to bargaining. You—"

For the last time Wolf cut him off again with a win or die proposition.

"That or nothing." His eyes were bright with unanticipated strength and conviction. He knew he had no place to decide such things but he reasoned that if Alex was not given enough antidote to saturate the binding chemical in his blood and in turn start to reverse the effects of the virus, then he was better off dead now, to save him some pain. Further more, at this rate, he would probably die before MI6 could get their hands on him even if they dispatched a rescue team now anyway.

This situation only had one way out for both parties, when Tom wasn't factored into it.

Sockai thought about the proposition long and hard, turning it over and analyzing it from every angle, but failing to remember his handle on Tom whom he had not wanted in the picture anyway. He no longer doubted that Wolf meant what he said and he understood his reasoning; the boy would either die of a gunshot wound now or later from the virus unless he was given a massive dosage now. Sockai concluded that if the young spy showed too much promise of recovery then he would dispose of him anyway with his questions answered.

He wasn't foolish enough to assume that Wolf was going to completely tell the truth though. Still not knowing Sockai's methods of proving the information true or false, the man would be going too far to gamble with that.

"You barter well Wolf; I can't say I'm not impressed. We will do it your way under one condition."

Wolf tensed.

"Answer one question to prove to me that you will tell the truth."

"I'm listening."

"Earlier when I had my men stun you—continually—it was because of a piece of information concerning you that Alex all but swears is true. I want to hear your account. If the two stories differ in anyway, since I have a sneaking suspicion that he made it up along the way, I will kill him now and the deal will be void. Am I understood?"

Wolf answered with growing dread. "Yes."

Sockai nodded. "Good. Did you come in contact with MI6 at anytime between the night of the attack and now?"

If this wasn't stressful then Wolf figured nothing was. Their lives depended on his being able to exactly deduce what Alex had told this man in a tight spot when he had absolutely no clues whatsoever to the boy's style of thinking much less his idea of what to say in a situation like this.

Very slim chance indeed.

A second later, he realized he did have some clues actually; but few. The first was that Sockai told him that he thought Alex had made up the story along the way but it was obviously plausible enough for Alex to stand firm with it. Wolf was not sure how much Alex had discerned about their captor, but if Sockai believed it enough to let it pass until a chance at confirmation presented itself—despite his paranoia of MI6 watching—it had to be pretty close to the truth yet at the same time leaving out the bit about the gadget installation. That meant he'd had to have left out the encounter with MI6 in the morning altogether.

That left the space of time right after the attack in the night. He should have remembered that Sockai had asked him that question earlier but the subsequent Taser assaults had muddled his memory somewhat.

Wolf cautiously answered. "Yes."

"You hesitated," Sockai stated.

"That's because I don't know if what he said is true yet you seem to be taking his word as the truth."

Sockai simply nodded. "Give me the details of the encounter."

Wolf cast around for a probable reason why they would have come across MI6 that night while still leaving out any bit about the implants. After the attack, what could they have gone to MI6 with that would make sense but still serve to leave MI6 no reason to suspect another one?

"Right after the attack, I had Alex explain everything that was going on. When he told me about the supposedly impenetrable vial of antidote—" Here Sockai interrupted him with a scornful snort. Wolf wasn't sure what his displeasure was aimed at but he doggedly plowed on with the story he had going, steeling himself for the blow that was most likely to come once he failed.

"—I went gave the vial to MI6. They decided to try and open it before sending him in here on a foolhardy mission that was likely to fail. They did say there might be another attempt but I don't think they expected it again so soon."

"Then what about you, why are you with him if you weren't recruited to?"

"That wasn't my doing, ask Muskrat or whatever her name is. Alex begged her not to kill me and instead she shoots and halls me along for a ride. Probably to use me against him."

Sockai was quiet for a moment. "I see." Then he spoke into a lapel mic causing Wolf to visibly tense. A few long moments passed before Dr. Dave entered with another doctor carrying a metal brief case and went straight over to Alex who'd been watching the whole altercation closely.

Wolf was partially relieved.

"Give him one full dosage and wait ten minutes," Sockai commanded.

The doctors did as bidden and laid the boy on his back by the wall as they waited for it to work, using the slowing of his pulse to indicate that it had taken effect. The minutes crawled by.

"Give him another one." Sockai barked impatiently.

A half hour went by like this.

"Give me the damn needle! Perhaps he needs it in a spot a little more direct than the crock of the elbow." He aimed for the jugular vein with a rough, untrained hand.

"NO!" Wolf shouted.

Sockai spun around "Why not, this is no more drastic than what you'd proposed!"

Wolf wet his dry lips. "That blood vessel is particularly weak because of an accident a couple weeks ago. If you do that, you're still going to kill him and lose the chance of me answering your questions."

The doctor's looked shocked by Wolf's audacity; Alex was shocked by something else.

For the whole time that the doctors had been hovering over him, he'd been conscious enough to know basically what was going on but he couldn't move or speak, nor did he want to, considering the pain. But now, although it seemed the antidote still hadn't worked—meaning, he was still in constant unabated pain, and he was even beginning to have a little trouble breathing—there was one thing that was reversing and it was his hearing loss.

He could actually hear what was going on in full detail. He heard what Wolf said and was equally proud and frightened by it. He also heard what Sockai had said that elicited that response from the man and he concluded that he definitely preferred Wolf's usually rough and occasionally curt voice to Sockai's depthless oily singsong one any day. The idea that he had the presence of mind to have preference between voices but not to assess the imminent danger he was in, actually made him smile with the irony of it. _Where were his priorities?_ he thought.

Sockai stopped his cruel ministrations when he saw the smile. "Not one more drop of that antidote will he get even if he screams for it; time to live up to your end of the bargain."

Wolf allowed himself a brief smile of satisfaction and nodded. "Ask away."

Sockai frowned at Wolf's apparent good cheer and began the interrogation anew.

"Who has MI6 assigned operative for this mission?"

"That is something I wouldn't know. The boy was told not to show anyone the game much less the password. And he didn't share any information with me either. All I know is what I specifically asked him the other night."

Sockai noted the answer and asked something else. "Why is he showing premature signs of the disease; it should have taken at least a week."

Wolf decided that the man had to be toying with him why he would ask these questions that were basically irrelevant to his cause.

"The accident that I mentioned earlier severely weakened his nervous system so your virus didn't have much work left to do."

"Nice way to put it. Now let me ask a simple question, what exactly was MI6's plan to stop us this time?"

Wolf sighed; the guy had finally cut to the chase. Wolf for the most part intended to keep his word. "If they weren't able to open the container then they were going to have him come in fitted out with gadgets they hoped would not be noticed." He even dared to add, "Stuff in his hair and all."

The remark made Sockai smile. "Continue."

"And send him in to gather any information on the formula or location of the antidote."

"Pathetic so far," the villain laughed. "And under what pretense was he to gather this information?"

Wolf looked as though he genuinely had to think about the question.

"I supposed they expected him to come up with that as he went along," Wolf answered darkly.

Sockai gave him a long piercing stare before he simply turned on his heals and left the room with a smile on his face.

* * *

There you have it. Like it, hate it, can't stand me for doing that to Alex, Wolf and Tom? Hope it's the former.

I know, I know the cliffy was mean but I it won't be for long.

**As an extra note I think you all would like to know that the next chapter is totally written and all I have to do have my beta kindly look over it for me. The only thing stopping me from posting it right away is the fact the it's much more enjoyable to milk reviews out of you guys for this chapter first. (grins evilly) The power is in your hands. ;)**


	8. The Climax

Wolf sighed and stretched his neck, trying to easy the cramping of his body

**You all have been good to me. So it's time to return some of it. I actually was going to update last Saturday but I came down with the flu so didn't feel up to it and I 'm just getting over it now. But anyway here is the much wanted chapter 8; The Climax. As the name suggests this is the chapter when the bad guys get what's coming to them. Also every one will be glad to know that Alex does not die at all and towards the end of this chapter the mood will be much lighter than before. **

**Now the next chapter is in it's beginning stages so no, I'm not going to be cruel with that one. When it's done I'll post it. It might actually be the last one but I'm more inclined to drag it out into two more chapters. Plus I think you all will be glad to know that A sequel is in the making, one with more action not as much angst and plenty of the kick but spying stuff that we love. **

**Now enough notes, on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: None at this time. The author of this story believes the previous one should suffice.**

* * *

Wolf sighed and stretched his neck, trying to easy the cramping of his body.

"You know," he announced suddenly, not really expecting Alex to hear "you owe me for all these hoops I've had to leap through just to keep you alive a little longer." He was silent for a moment reflecting on what had transpired "If I were any bit less demanding and more submissive, I'm pretty sure you'd be dead right now" he sighed again and tried making his busted arm a little more comfortable, unsuccessfully.

Alex decided that it would be all right to let Wolf know he could hear; even if they were being watched. He wanted to apologize for getting him practically tortured earlier anyway and besides the look on Wolf's face would probably be worth it .

"I'd like to try and pay you back, you being all heroic and stuff, it wouldn't be fair not to."

Just as Alex suspected, Wolf shot around as much as his restraints would allow, looking as though he'd heard the voice of the dead. Alex couldn't help but smile broadly; despite their situation the look really was comical.

"Damn it, Alex! Don't do that kind of thing! You can get yourself killed if you do it to the wrong person," Wolf shouted, thoroughly mussed, which made Alex actually start to laugh before his lungs protested.

Wolf tried frowning at him but eventually chuckled himself. "I suppose you did get me, huh?"

Alex nodded. "Whenever I need a good laugh I'll picture that expression."

Wolf shook his head good-naturedly, glad to see the kid smiling. Then his face grew serious. "So the antidote's working then?"

Alex shook his head "Not really. It's actually getting a little harder to breathe," He coughed a little as though to demonstrate "but for some reason I can hear just fine now. I noticed a small improvement after the creep gave me another dose and brought me in here. Then after the other three I could really hear you.

"Did you make some deal with him or something why he did it?"

"Yeah, those were the hoops that I was talking about." Wolf answered.

"Well?" Alex pressed him to explain.

Wolf shifted in his seat slightly. "Well what?"

"Just how you convinced him might make a good telling."

Wolf didn't answer.

"What's the matter?" Alex asked.

"You wouldn't appreciate what I did."

"Why wouldn't I? You saved my life didn't you?"

Wolf merely shook his head and turned away. Now that the initial adrenaline had worn off and he really thought about what he'd done and implied, he wasn't proud of it.

Alex painstakingly dragged himself across the floor until he was sitting right in front of the man so he could get a better look at the expression on his face. As usual his face didn't betray much but his eyes did seem to flicker with something akin to shame.

"Wolf," Alex said quietly, "Are you ashamed of what you did?"

Wolf growled with frustration. "Look Alex I just don't think you need to know, you're fine so it's not like—"

Alex interrupted, "I'm not going to judge you or anything; you saved my life, I can't complain."

"Damn it, Alex, you're too nosy for you own good," he growled in annoyance

"Being nosy has saved my life more times than you know."

Wolf glanced at Alex and saw that he was dead serious. "I made a deal; I don't answer any questions and he kill both of us then and there or he give you enough antidote to work and then I tell the truth."

Alex was quiet a bit before he asked. "And you really told the truth?"

"No"

Alex nodded approvingly, though with a serious look on his face and Wolf went back to his small scale brooding until Alex spoke again.

"Thanks though, I truly appreciate you putting your self out there for me; like you said, I'd probably be dead right now if you didn't."

"Yeah whatever," Wolf agreed tiredly but not harshly, preferring to drop the subject.

"One thing though,"

"What?"

"That actually was one of the most dangerous gambles you've ever made assuming you're not in the business of gambling with others lives."

Wolf scowled. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Alex smiled mirthlessly. "Remember when I told you about Tom being in this and getting killed and all?"

Wolf nodded wondering where this was heading.

"Well, they were bluffing. Just so that they could use him against me some more, they didn't kill him, just had me think so."

Wolf just continued to look.

"I saw him myself. What I'm saying is that either that guy somehow forgot about Tom or he's going to use him at a later why he didn't just kill me because of your boldness and then use Tom instead.

Wolf paled but said nothing and the two of them sat in worried silence for a while thinking about their fates.

Later, Alex said, "Oh yeah, I wanted to say sorry for making you have to go through all that tasering earlier. I had to make a convincing story to answer his questions but since he though I was lying he did that to you. If I'd have backed down after that it would have been really bad."

Wolf nodded.

"So, are you okay?"

"Alex, I'm not a weakling you know,"

"Okay, but what about your arm?"

"I've been trained for this kind of stuff; I can handle it."

"That still doesn't answer my question though. You may be able to handle an assault and still be pretty damn uncomfortable with the aftermath of it. Not that I'm saying that you are," he quickly added when Wolf glanced at him. "But it's not unreasonable to be."

Wolf's lips twitched. "Since when did you become so wise?"

Alex shrugged. "Since I gained experience in the department."

"I see. Well to put it frankly, I don't really know, but if it will make you feel any better you can check it out for yourself."

Alex nodded and went behind him to check on his arm which was twisted at a painful angle opposite his other to keep him from struggling free.

Alex winced. "You're gonna have a new range of movement once you're untied."

"Probably."

Because of the way the arms were set—turned with palms facing out and the injured forearm facing upward rather than to the right—the gunshot wound was in plain sight and it wasn't pretty. Alex knelt and tried to loosen the metal cord that bit into the man's wrist but all he earned was a bloody thumb and a slight hiss from Wolf for his efforts.

"Sorry," Alex offered as he examined the arm instead.

Wolf only grunted in reply

"You know, this bandage is almost soaked with blood, I should change it before it starts to drip and slide around, but I can't get anything off this jumpsuit to replace it." Alex explained a moment later.

"See if you can tear off the other sleeve and use it," Wolf suggested.

Once Alex had his bandaging set, he undid the first one and grimaced when he saw the damage Carmen had wrought underneath.

Alex was no doctor but he could see that this was going to need surgery; from a good surgeon. He wondered if this is how Jack's arm had looked when she was pulled from the car. Suddenly he wanted confirmation that this wasn't the case for Wolf.

"Wolf?"

"What?"

"Does your arm feel like it's badly damaged?"

"Of course it's badly damaged, doesn't it look damaged?"

"No, I mean permanently damaged?"

Wolf frowned though Alex didn't see it. "Alex is there something you know but aren't telling?"

"No, I just want to know how does it feel to you; do you think it's permanently damaged?" For some reason Alex didn't want to mention the word 'amputate' at all.

"I can still feel it and sort of move a couple of my fingers so I suppose it's salvageable if that's what you mean."

"Good," was all Alex said, sounding relieved.

He began to carefully and tightly wrap it again. He loathed to leave it dirty with out even a quick hydrogen peroxide rinse, but it was the best he could do to slow down the blood loss.

"There," Alex announced as he came around to the front of the chair again.

"Thanks; it actually feels better."

Alex nodded. "You're welcome."

* * *

A couple hours later as silence ensued in the holding cell for Wolf and Alex, Rachel was just arriving home from a difficult, but successful day at work.

Coming up the walk, she meticulously searched the porch area for any sign of a struggle or confrontation as though she expected to find one, but not even the blood that Fox had spoken of earlier was to be seen. She glanced across the street suspiciously and then quickly unlocked the door.

As soon as she was inside and the door closed a familiar voice called her.

"Rachel is that you?" Fox asked.

Rachel stalked in to the kitchen after putting away her things. "Ben what are you—all of you doing here?"

"We're protecting you Rachel," Snake answered patiently.

Rachel glanced at him with uncharacteristic chagrin. "I'm fine Adrian, and quite capable of protecting myself," was her terse answer.

"No, Rachel. You're not fine and we would appreciate it if you'd stop taking out your frustration here," Eagle gestured to the others sitting at the table in an equally strange display of annoyance. His voice softened. "We're just as irked about Wolf and Cub's situation as you are."

Rachel shook her head as she washed her hands and took a slab of cooked corned beef from the fridge.

"I didn't meant to sound so curt and dismissive, but you have to understand that to me this is plain outrageous; the last thing I need to hear is that you're here to protect me from nothing because you don't have anything better to do."

Surprisingly, the men laughed. "You and Wolf definitely take after each other." Snake observed.

Rachel sighed exasperated.

"You do need protecting because we've concluded that the house is being watched by hostiles and I don't think Wolf would want us to leave you here undefended just because you asked us to, so live with it." Fox answered growing serious again. He took a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "Besides, I think you should see this, it's what I wouldn't tell you about over the phone." He handed her the note that Wolf had written to Alex earlier.

As Rachel read it, her throat constricted. She read through it again and looked up.

"I . . . I see," was her broken reply. She carefully laid the paper on the counter and continued preparing dinner in anguish filled silence. "So . . . um when did Alex go deaf? He could definitely hear other night," she asked quietly.

Snake sighed. "Yesterday morning. When he woke up he just couldn't hear 'except for buzzing' he said. We think it's an interaction between the virus and the medicine he's been taking."

Rachel nodded distractedly. After a moment she turned around biting her lip. "What I . . . what I want to know," she started in a strained voice, "is why this was allowed to happen? I mean how did this child in specific, become the secret weapon of a top government agency; a child with no say and no way out of what he's asked to do?" She had tears shining in her eyes because of her heartfelt sorrow for his predicament. "He's just bounced around from mission to mission, shot in the chest and then sent off to the mission of no return with out a drop of consideration for his own damn opinion or well being! That's what I want to know; how the HELL did that happen?!"

Eagle shook his head. "We never asked him and he never said. I don't think ever really wanted to talk about it."

"Damn right he didn't! And we're never going to get to ask him are we?" She slammed the knife she was holding into the sink. "And what pisses me off to no end, is that they can get away with! Not a blasted soul is going to bring this to justice because we're dealing with MI6."

"I never though the government could stoop so low," she shook her head in disgust, "but I had to get a wake up call at some point, right?" She went back to cutting up the beef in silence.

The room was quiet except for the sound of Rachel brutally chopping the meat.

"You gonna be okay, Rachel?" Fox asked finally.

"I'll get over it, eventually, but I'm never going to be able to think of what our government does for us and not imagine who they're abusing and killing in the process."

Eagle nodded, "Not all of us are bad though, K-unit isn't."

Rachel gave him a watery smile. "I know Jake, I know, but it doesn't really change any of this, does it?"

* * *

"Do you really think I was going to let you get away with your little antics?" Sockai was saying to Wolf as he held Tom by the collar and pointed a gun at Alex.

"You play with fire then you're going to get burned, isn't that right? Except I think burning your charge will be more effective."

He turned to Alex who was curled in on himself as the poison that was secretly placed in his doses, racked his body.

Stepping closer he stooped down and lifted Alex's chin forcing the kid to look him in the eye.

"You know, I'd been expecting someone a bit more challenging than you. You've proven that Julia Rothman was a real imbecile to have let you mess up her plans. She really messed up Scorpia's rep, but I'm going to fix that." He shook his head disgustedly "Still, I was hoping for some thing more."

Alex grimaced and shook his head loose from Sockai's grasp. "You... wanted more so your failure... would seem more reasonable."

The man laughed. "Are you under the illusion that my plans have been undermined in any way?"

Alex heaved a painful breath. "You did lose—to a kid."

The cocky grin on Sockai's face began to slip.

"Really? What did you win? Even if MI6 did send you, you couldn't relay any information to them, remember?"

Alex knew, deep down that he was endangering his friends' lives by being so reckless but for the moment he selfishly didn't care what happened to anyone except Sockai. He wanted to really hurt the guy in the only way he could; by humiliation. Not because it would stop millions of people from getting killed or because he wanted revenge for what the man had done to Tom and Wolf either.

It was simply because Sockai had caused immense physical pain him.; more than he'd ever felt in his life. Alex didn't want to hurt the others, but if he could knock Sockai's damnable ego to the ground and put him to shame before his superiors, then he would deal with the consequences of his actions when they came. Perhaps the man would be so mad, he'd forget to use Tom and Wolf as leverage against him and just shoot him alone; he was about to die anyway.

Alex closed his eyes for a moment and then grinned, though it was closer to a grimace. "Yes... I could and I did, you miserable joke. MI6 is on their way."

Tom, who was adapting to the situation rather well—as well as could be expected—turned to Wolf with a questioning look. Certainly Alex wasn't supposed to do that. Tom was just finding out that MI6 was really in on things, but he was too worried that Alex would get them killed before they were rescued, for the news to be of any comfort. He was about to open his mouth to talk a bit of sense into Alex but Wolf stopped him with a curious look that silenced him instantly.

"So let me get this straight, you think that telling me all this now is going to get me to do what? Spare you?" Sockai questioned.

Alex really wanted this man to believe him and start getting worried, lose his confidence, get mad and lose the cool, calm, in control demeanor that he'd been parading around with. In short, realize that he'd been beaten.

"Don't you get it? MI6 is on their way! I recorded the route here and... the formula for the antidote, because you _didn't_ find the gadgets..."he paused to heave a breath" did you Sockai? We tricked you."

Wolf was wondering whether the kid was losing it from the pain or something. After about three hours of on and off sleeping and talking, the child had suddenly started to convulse with pain every few minutes—not a whole minute after Wolf had told him to signal MI6. Ten minutes more of that and Sockai comes in with Tom practically on the end of a leash to confirm that he had poisoned Alex and to gloat about his victory. But now Alex was gloating—if you could call blabbing out everything they had been fighting to keep secret, gloating. Wolf wanted to stop him but didn't know how.

Sockai's expression change from confident to suspicious, "Really Alex, and where is your proof?" He got up and looked down on the trembling defiant child before him.

"I'll just put you out of your misery now, then your threats and what ever information you think you know will die with you." he pointed the gun.

"No it won't. They already have the information... and even if I die they'll still be able to make the antidote. You. Lose."

"I've had enough of this!" Sockai declared at same moment that Wolf shouted; "That's enough Alex!"

Tom looked up as he heard footsteps approaching the door. The next second Carmen appeared in the doorway and shot Sockai in the back of the head just before he shot Alex.

Stalking over to the dead body, she kicked him over and stared down at the violently silenced face. "Only I will have the pleasure of completing this assignment successfully Sockai, there just isn't room for the two of us."

She turned to Alex "As for you, I heard all of your bragging and unfortunately for you I believe what you say, so now I have this place set; if MI6 isn't ready to meet my demands when they arrive then all the information in either you or that hefty database of theirs isn't going to save anybody."

She called for a few of her guards. "Restrain him," she ordered, referring to Tom while she took Alex by the arm and held a gun to his head. She ordered another guard to release Wolf from the chair and handcuff him, keeping her trigger finger ready at all times.

When they pulled him to his feet, Wolf was surprised to find that he felt considerably weak. It most likely was the excessive blood loss from his arm that caused it but that meant that trying to escape still wasn't an option.

"Carry them up to the first floor and out onto the lawn."

A minute later Wolf, Tom and Alex were roughly made to stand in a line facing the previously deserted road which was now crawling with black MI6 vehicles. In the distance a chopper could be heard approaching.

SAS personnel were also all over the place and Wolf found it ironic and somewhat frustrating that he was on the wrong side of the action.

Tom's excitement was beginning to slightly overshadowing his fear however, the feeling of the gun against the back of his head reminded him that this was not a dream or movie. In real life the bad guys were not confined to the script.

After a minute or two, Mrs. Jones emerged from one of the vehicles with a megaphone in her hand. She was concerned that Wolf, Tom and Alex were being used as hostages but her orders were to make no compromises. If saving Alex and the others meant they were going to have to do some bargaining, then his body alone would have to be retrieved dead. All that mattered was that they get the preserved antidote flowing through his blood at all cost.

But, however simple the agenda seemed, the matter itself was still delicate at best.

Carmen spoke first, "I know why you're here and of course what you've come for. However the methods and tendencies of your organization are not secret to us. Alex has proven to be very resource but at the same time very liberal with certain information. 'Dead or alive you'll still be able to manufacturer the antidote'," she smirked at Alex. "Isn't that right?" She turned back to Jones "So instead of threaten you with their lives I'll use the intact bodies instead. Without a body there is nothing you can do.

"This house behind me is surrounded and saturated with explosives. If you refuse my offer they will be locked inside while the bombs are detonated.

"However Scorpia's previous offer still stands with all its benefits. You fulfill our requests and we will provide you with all the medicine you need to heal you're sick.

"If you decide to apply some common sense to the situation I think it will turn out favorably for all of us."

Mrs. Jones massaged a temple with two fingers trying to ease the migraine that had appeared. "You must allow us a few moments to concur; we are not prepared to negotiate."

Carmen remained silent.

Wolf knew an opportune moment when he saw it and this was definitely one. He glanced at Alex to his left and Tom to his right. Alex looked as though he wasn't in much shape to move, much less put up any impression of a fight, but perhaps it could be used to his advantage, Tom on the other hand was fine except for being scared. If he could convey to the kid—without words—that on his signal he was to wrench free of the one guard that was restraining him and roll down the slight hill to the MI6 cars, then he could probably reach the safety of MI6 without injury.

But he wasn't sure if Alex was also strong enough to do that, plus he had two guards on either side of him supporting his tired body unlike Tom's one guard. They seemed to be underestimating his strength so he could perhaps break free with some determination but it would be cutting it close. The plan would only worked if they moved simultaneously because whosoever was left when Scorpia recovered from the surprise would definitely be dead before anything else could be done. When Wolf had formulated the plan he realized that.

Now he acknowledged the fact that he wasn't going to be able to escape and had mostly swallowed his fear. Unlike the two boys on either side of him, he was seen as potentially dangerous so he was treated thus. Two guards held his arms in an iron grip and most of there attention was focused on keeping it that way. There was no chance of him escaping.

He turned and tried to get Alex's attention out loud by seemingly trying to reassure him. Once he had eye contact he tried to convey, without the slightest bit of lip movement, that on his signal Alex was to throw himself out of the guards' rather absentminded grasp and roll down the slope toward MI6.

Alex look at him for a second, eventually understanding what the man was trying to say, but then, to Wolf immense annoyance, he ever so slightly shook his head. The man could have yelled in frustration. They absolutely had to act at the point just when Jones began to talk again and here Alex was wasting their time trying to play brave. He glanced at the boy again with real anger in his eyes only to see Alex saying something repeatedly to himself.

He was slightly curious as to whether Alex had a different plan or something but he didn't put much faith in it. They wouldn't have been in this situation right now if Alex hadn't opened his mouth back in the holding cell in some failed attempt at a post-defeated glory speech. Wolf tried again with the same response.

A few moments later, Wolf tried again before abandoning him for Tom, but surprisingly Alex nodded imperceptibly instead.

Wolf lost no time in communicating with Tom who was actually pretty observant and soon nodded in understanding. If it worked the two boys would be safe.

"You've taken long enough," Carmen declared. "Take them into the house." she commanded.

Before the command was completely given, Tom and Alex took action. For Tom it was actually easy. He just suddenly let himself drop out of the surprised guard's grasp and roll quickly toward the MI6 vehicles, he didn't expect for MI6 to instantly take practiced aim at their attackers though; he'd more assumed that Scorpia would start shooting first. He half expected to feel a bullet in his shoulder or back as the coarse grass repeatedly assaulted his face but he reached the safety of the cars unscathed.

Wolf on the other hand, was very surprised. It was like MI6 had been waiting for the same signal he was to give and now he found himself standing between two dead men as Alex made his decent down the hill. He ducked and rolled out the way as a Scorpia bullet whizzed past and turned to apprehend Carmen but she was already gone and in the next moment the house went up in instantaneous flames, the force of it throwing him about 5 meters backwards. The impact with the ground aggravated his arm so much that he nearly yelled in pain.

As he was helped over to one of the ambulances, they all heard Carmen yell furiously from among the smoke of the inferno as she escaped. "Whatever your plan is, the antidote will disintegrate after a few hours no matter its state; that joke vial was useless and he will be too."

Wolf wasn't too worried by this because it had only been about two hours since Alex had gotten the dose from Sockai. He was more concerned by the disease itself because he knew that Alex didn't have much more time. _At least it's in the hand of MI6 now_, he thought as an oxygen mask was placed over his face.

* * *

Rachel took a depressed bite of her corned beef sandwich and sighed. She was really too worried to be hungry right now. She just didn't have the will to eat. She got up from the table where the others—who weren't quite so destitute of their appetite—were eating, and went to the sitting room. A few moments later Snake came in and found her leaning against the wall with her face hidden behind her arm. He noticed that her shoulders shook slightly too.

"Rachel, are you okay?" he touched her shoulder.

She sniffed but kept her face covered. "I—I'll be all right in a bit."

"Rachel, don't hold it back, you're just gonna feel worse."

She seemed to ignore his words at first but as he made no sign of moving she finally looked up at him with tear-stained eyes. "I'm worried Adrian. What if . . . what if he . . .?" (her voiced cracked) "what am I going to do without him?" Snake pulled her close as she broke down. "I can't . . . I can't let him go, Adrian . . . it just isn't fair, it's too soon." Snake gently rubbed her back as she cried into his shoulder. He didn't offer any words of solace because he didn't know what to say.

He had considered the same thing and there was no way around it. Whatever happened to Wolf/James now was going to happen and there was nothing they could do about it except hope it didn't come to that. It would be insulting to try and diminish her pain and fear right now which was real; to say 'it's okay', would have been slightly heartless.

Snake looked up when the phone rang and Rachel made no attempt to move. "Hey Ben, can you get that? Tell them to leave a message."

Fox walked over and picked up the phone while glancing at Rachel with concern.

"No, can I take a message?" he said after a moment.

A lapse of silence.

"I'm his friend and colleague."

Snake and Rachel looked up.

After a another moment Fox answered "We'll be there shortly." He hung up the phone briskly and moved to grab his jacket.

"That was St. Dominic's, Wolf is there and alive."

Rachel glanced at Snake. Daring to hope, she grabbed her coat and they all jumped in Eagle's SUV.

When they arrived at the hospital, Rachel went up to the receptionist desk.

"Hello, my name is Rachel Bertrand, my fiancée James Saldana was checked in not too long ago."

The receptionist tapped away at her keyboard. "Can I see some ID please?"

Rachel hastily provided it. "Thank you, now because of the high security precautions this hospital offers I must see some proof of your relationship."

Rachel was starting to lose her patience. "I don't walk around with proof of my engagement except this ring." She showed her a rather expensive looking silver ring with a medium-sized diamond set in it. "Is that enough?"

The receptionist was about to speak again when Mrs. Jones walked up to the group. She signaled to the woman that she would take over and lead Rachel and the remnant of K-unit over to the elevators.

"How is he?" Rachel asked as soon as the doors closed.

"He just went into surgery for a badly damaged arm but he should be fine with a good deal of rest."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and smiled until Rachel remembered Alex.

"Did Alex survive?"

First Jones looked as though she didn't intend to answer.

"We're waiting," Eagle reminded her warningly.

"Yes, he did survive but you can't see him now; he's still in critical condition." she answered dismissively.

With admirable effort, Rachel bit back the harsh retort that threatened to surface and instead stared straight ahead.

As the elevator doors opened onto the recovery ward where they would wait for Wolf, Fox declared, "I'm going to see to it that the higher ups know about this one; not that you have illegally employed him but the fact that it's more abuse than work."

Mrs. Jones said nothing but directed them to the waiting area. "As soon as he is stable I'll let you know." She turned and left without offering anymore information or indicating that she had heard Fox.

Rachel sat back, preparing for a long wait but she was glad that Wolf was all right. She only wished the same could have been said for Alex.

Five hours later at a little past eleven, Snake gently tapped Rachel on the shoulder to wake her from her little doze.

"He's awake now Rae, come on."

She came to attention immediately. "Already?"

"It's been almost five hours. He came out of surgery a little while ago but he had to stay in the PACU to sleep off the anesthesia, but he's awake now."

Rachel nodded and they followed the nurse to Wolf's room.

When they arrived, Rachel flew into his arms and showered him with kisses while he halfheartedly protested. She finally pulled back and smiled one of her best smiles at him. "Do you know how cute you are when you whine like that?"

"What? I was not whining," he argued as the guys made various teasing motions.

Snake came over and squeezed his shoulder. "Glad to have you back mate; we would have been lost without a leader, you know."

"Hey none of that stuff okay, I'm alive aren't I?" Wolf answered gruffly but it was just his strange way of showing appreciation for their worry.

Rachel glanced at his bandaged head and tired eyes. "I was scared James, I didn't know what to do, you just disappeared and might not have come back." She gently rubbed his cheek. "I can't take that lightly or simply brush it off."

Wolf held the hand on his cheek with his good one. "I know."

"What happened to your arm, bro?" Eagle asked as he parked himself at the end of the bed.

"It took a nasty hit while we were still at the house," Wolf explained "If it weren't for Cub, I _would_ have been dead; he saved my life." He was quiet for a moment. "Is he all right?"

Rachel shook her head "Mrs. Jones last told us that he was still in critical condition, but I think she's hiding something."

"Of course she's hiding something!" he suddenly yelled. "They're hiding the fact that until they extract the damn antidote—the completely unused antidote—from him they're not going to do anything to save him!"

"Calm down dear, I know how you feel," Rachel soothed. "We saw the letter."

"You don't understand, if they haven't gotten it by now then we're really in hot water because it's useless after this long."

He lay back on the pillow suddenly weary and sad. "These kinds of things just aren't right," he growled. Then a knock came at the door.

"Come in," he called impatiently. They had expected a doctor or nurse, not a smiling Mrs. Jones. "I have good news," she declared. "First, the mission was a success; thanks to you and Alex. Everyone who was infected can now be cured. Second, Alex _is_ going to be all right. He's awake now and asking for you." Her declaration was met by cheers of approval.

"Where is he?" Wolf asked feeling his heart lighten.

"In the recovery section of the Paediatric Ward. If you feel up to it I can take you to him."

Wolf frowned. "Of course I feel up to it. My arm gets a little busted and suddenly everyone thinks I'm an unconditional invalid."

Eagle laughed. "The day we think something is truly wrong with you is the day you answer a perfectly innocent statement with a perfectly civil response."

Wolf rolled his eyes as everyone laughed and the previously heavy mood lightened significantly.

When they arrived Alex was engaged in a mostly one-sided conversation with Tom, who had been treated for small puncture wounds and bruises long ago. It was more Tom expressing all his bottled up excitement over the past events than a conversation, but Alex did answer now and then. He had a rather large room and was sitting in a special reclining armchair facing Tom with his back to the door. When Tom stopped talking with a look of apparent awe on his face, Alex looked up over his shoulder, when he saw Wolf and the others, he smiled brightly.

"You're okay."

"It takes more than that to keep me down." Wolf returned his smile.

"Those of you who don't know, this is my best mate Tom Harris. It turns out Scorpia didn't kill him like they said but just made me think so." He turned to Tom. "Tom this is Rachel—Wolf's fiancée— Fox, Eagle, Snake, Mrs. Jones, I guess they're all my friends now except Jones, she's just one of my bosses." The others chuckled at his last statement.

With all the introductions made, Mrs. Jones stepped forward, "Harris, your mother and father are in the lobby waiting to see that you're safe and sound."

"Mom _and _Dad?" Tom asked incredulously,

"Yes, both of them. Come along, I'll explain the situation to them."

"Good luck mate" Alex called as Mrs. Jones led him out.

"Thanks, I think I'm going to need it."

After Tom left, the room was silent for a while until Alex made an attempt to move from his chair to the bed.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Wolf asked sternly,

"Trying to get up, what does it look like?"

"Looks like you need help," Fox answered. "Allow me to lend you a hand?"

With that he scooped up the boy and carried him over to his bed.

"What the heck are you doing?!" Alex exclaimed, thoroughly embarrassed.

Fox gently put him down. "Helping you," he grinned both wickedly and innocently at the same time—if that were possible.

"I didn't even break a bone, yet everyone acts as though I'm gonna collapse if I stand up straight for a second," he complained sourly.

"Somebody takes after Jamie," Eagle teased earning him similar glares from the subjects of his fun.

Once Alex had settled under the covers and everybody else had found various spots to sit, Eagle announced that their escapade would make for an excellent retelling about now; if they didn't mind of course.

Alex in turn gave a short but true account of the most significant points of the mission with Wolf correcting him here and there and taking over the narration from time to time.

"When Wolf signed to me that we were to dive down the hill at his signal, I knew it wasn't going to work for him, Alex was saying now. "I know you're strong but I don't think you'd be able to escape those two." he pointed out to Wolf who found it annoying.

"Alex, I'm not stupid," Wolf growled. "I didn't intend to try escaping. As soon as I moved they would have shot you two instantly anyway."

"Oh," Alex realized. "Then it's a good thing I told MI6 to look for a signal from you or else you would have killed yourself needlessly."

Understanding dawned on Wolf's face as the others watched the exchange between the two. "I had forgotten about the ear piece," he admitted. "So you simply said it over and over again and hoped they got the message."

"Not in so many words to attract the guards' attention but basically. When I saw Mrs. Jones make eye contact with me I knew they had gotten the message to her."

Wolf smiled, "I guess I owe you again, huh?"

"Nah, we're even now."

"You two make a damn good team," Fox commented.

"And now I owe you," Rachel declared as she kissed Alex on the cheek, making him blush slightly.

"You've already done a lot for me, Rachel," Alex answered. "So were even too."

"What if I just give you something, okay?"

"Okay," he conceded with tired yawn. "Why don't you finish Wolf? I don't remember much after reaching the cars anyway."

"Well, basically the plan worked and when I realized that I was still standing, I tried stop the bitch but the explosion got in the way and she escaped. Then we were brought here."

"I think a medal is in order for both of you," Fox observed. "What do you think Alex?"

Alex slowly opened his eyes which had drooped shut. "Um, I don't know, do I deserve it?"

"Of course you deserve it Alex, at the least for going ahead with the plan even though you knew you might not have lived," Rachel countered, "but I'm glad it didn't come down to that."

Alex smiled slightly as he closed his eyes again.

She ruffled his hair a little. "I'm really glad you're okay Alex. Now I still have the two men that mean something to me around."

"It's good to know that I'm valued for more than my skills." Alex answered.

"What?! Don't we mean anything?" Eagle asked in mock hurt at the same time.

"You all can help yourselves. These two need me," Rachel explained.

"I'm sure she'll still feed you," Alex offered sleepily. "She's too nice to let you all starve."

Rachel laughed. "Go to sleep Alex and stopped giving these men false hope." Which made everyone laugh as well.

* * *

"I mean what I said you know," Fox announced after a while "I know that exposing him would put him in danger, but with the right people knowing what he's put through they could make sure he's at least treated right."

"I think I'll help you," Rachel offered.

"You'd better be careful about it," Wolf warned quietly. "If MI6 finds out they'll have you _stopped._"

Rachel glanced from Wolf to the sleeping Alex. "I know, but I'm starting to really like this kid and if there's anything I can do to help him I will."

"He does have a way of growing on you I suppose," Wolf agreed.

Rachel smiled knowingly. "You're starting to like him too, aren't you?"

"Like might be too strong a word right now, but I can definitely tolerate him if that's what you mean."

"I mean enough to do what you can to help him."

"Well of course, and I'm not saying not to do anything just be secretive about it and be wary of who you tell; treachery isn't too hard to find around here."

"We will," Fox answered solemnly.

"Meanwhile, I promised that I'd find out what was going to happen to him after the two weeks with us was up. He was really worried about it yesterday and he must feel really bummed out with all this bouncing around ."

Rachel glanced at him and then at the sleeping boy before her with a thoughtful expression on her face.

**

* * *

****There you have it. I sincerely hope you enjoyed and I hope I have redeemed myself and am on the path of goodness once again. **

**As always Read and Review**


	9. Pleasant Surprises

**It has been a while hasn't it, but I wanted to deliver nothing but the best. Somehow I still feel as though I fell short of my mark but I can't pinpoint the problem. If you catch it let me know. For now I'll just wait patiently for you helpful reviews. I know they'll come, right?**

**Anyway on with the story**

**No Disclaimer necessary **

* * *

"Get up."

Alex groggily emerged from a refreshingly dreamless sleep to an annoying wake up call.

"Go. Away," he answered, face down from within the depths of his pillow. It was the second to last day he was to spend with Wolf and Rachel and he had grown more irritable as the time drew close.

"It's nicer when you wake up voluntarily Cub"

Alex was more annoyed to find that the teasing voice belonged to Wolf. Somehow he'd failed to recognize it in his half-asleep state. It figured; Rachel would never be so cruel as to pull him from his rest in such a manner. Not that this way was actually cruel but he liked to think of it as such during his darker moods.

He pulled the blankets closer around him, "Was I given that choice?" he snapped.

Was it his imagination or was Wolf laughing at his remark? He found that his rising irritation was serving to wake him further. Wolf removed the blanket from around his toes and threw something similar to rice on them. The next second it felt like scores of maggots were all over his feet.

He leaped out of bed indignantly. "What the hell is this?!" He shook out his feet and glared at Wolf who was definitely laughing now.

Alex stared at the offensive white things which were now lying on the floor, strangely still.

Wolf only laughed harder.

Alex maliciously stepped on one and reeled back when it wiggled under his feet.

"What the bloody hell are those Wolf?!"

"I got them from Eagle. We call it maggot rice." He was obviously enjoying himself

Alex indignantly collected his clothes for his shower glancing at the clock. He looked down at the joke on the floor and gave Wolf one of his most potent glares.

"It looks like rice normally but if it touches anything warm, you get maggots." Wolf continued gleefully "Eagle made the mistake of using them on me once so I confiscated them. They come in real handy now and then."

Alex rolled his eyes "What'd you want me up for; it's only 6:00?"

"You've got a packed day ahead of you. Rachel wants to get a move on from early."

Alex looked at him, confused. "Packed? With what?"

"Just be down stairs for breakfast by 6:30." With that, the man left with a smile still on his face.

By the time Alex got to the kitchen he was seriously pondering why Wolf was in such a good mood and what could the day possibly be packed with.

"Good Morning," Rachel greeted him cheerily

"Morning" He answered in a noticeably grumpy manner.

"What's the matter?" She asked, pushing him a plate of breakfast

"Nothing" was his unconvincing reply

Rachel sat down and handed him a cup of coffee "Alex, I haven't known you long but I can tell that something's wrong.

"Really Rachel, I'm fine." He said dismissively. Sure deep down he wasn't exactly okay but he wasn't about to admit that he kinda, sort of, missed them already either. It's not like he'd become dependent on them or anything. He was pretty healthy now. MI6 had granted him an extra three weeks with them because of some problems with finding him a new guardian and the additional time was much appreciated by everyone involved.

But the problem is he'd gotten comfortable. After being so suddenly thrust from his childhood home because of the incident with Jack, his five week stay with Wolf and Rachel had begun to resemble something close to predictable again. He woke up and ran with Wolf and Seth when they were well enough to, had breakfast and then throughout the day he'd find something to occupy himself with; homework, or maybe a game as he recovered his health. One day Wolf had taken him down to the lake for a boat race with his model boats. Though Alex had lost miserably, it had been fun.

Of course there were the scratchy moments too, like the time when Alex had decided to make breakfast for Wolf -instead of the other way around- on account of the man being extremely awkward while trying to cook with his right hand in a cast.

Instead of appreciating it as Alex had thought, Wolf got extremely annoyed and they had this big fuss about when well enough ought to be left alone and when a guy should accept a little help when needed.

They were at odds for most of the day until Rachel came home and laughed the whole thing off.

Such things along with the unexpected visits by the rest of K-unit could be trying sometimes but they also kept the atmosphere from becoming boring.

But now, when he moved on to somewhere else, it would be a totally different situation all over again and he wasn't looking forward to it. However, he was not about to admit that to either of them.

"Alex don't even go there. You've been unusually irritable for the past- I don't know-three days? As a matter of fact it's been getting worse. It's like you get up grumpier every morning and I for one am tired of it. So I ask again, what's wrong?"

"How have I been being irritable?" He asked, sounding reasonably innocent.

"For one, you got into an argument with Jake last night for no real reason."

"He's grating Rachel, You must notice how he never misses a moment to annoy me."

"That may be so but you're response was uncalled for; it was an innocent enough question."

Alex sighed. The night before, Eagle had made some stupid comment about him really starting to think this was his place too, perhaps even part of the family. The other guys including Wolf thought it was funny. But Alex didn't even smile. He didn't like how it implied that he was trying to over staying his welcome which was soon to end anyway.

So he responded in kind making Eagle know that he wasn't that kind of person and that he would soon be gone.

Rachel was also thinking about how Alex had responded and understanding dawned on her as she recalled is exact answer. "Alex, does this have anything to do with the fact that you're leaving tomorrow?" she asked gently

Alex just stirred his coffee and took a small bite of meat.

She sighed "I'm sorry Alex."

Alex looked up suspiciously "For what exactly?"

"Well, it's not that I didn't think about it," she paused "but I didn't realize that you would feel this way about leaving. I mean I know you're probably not looking forward to your next guardian but it didn't occur to me that you might actually want to stay."

Alex was caught slightly off guard by that. Not by what she said but just how uncomfortable Rachel seemed to be while saying it. Sort of hopeful and embarrassed at the same time as thought reluctant to see his reaction... but...he wasn't really sure.

"It's okay." he answered "Not that I don't like it here; I would want to stay if I could but I don't want to burden you all any longer and you've already done so much. Even though my next guardian may not be as nice, I feel as though staying might be intruding.

I know I'll eventually get used to my new guardian too, I guess I seem irritable because I'm not looking forward to it."

"That's understandable." Rachel answered, seeming to have recovered from her brief ...uncertainty, if Alex was any judge of emotion. "I know going somewhere new can be hard so, I hope you don't mind, but I put together a sort of going away get together."

Alex looked skeptical but he put aside his grumpiness and asked "With who?"

She smiled as though she had a secret "Various people" when he rolled his eyes in mock annoyance she added "We had to send you off properly."

"I see. So if this has anything to do with the 'packed' day that I have, what's first?"

"First you eat your breakfast," she laughed "Then go and check in with James."

She didn't offer anything else after that despite Alex's bugging so he was pretty curious by the end of the meal. He quickly went to find Wolf.

He found him in his workshop cleaning up some saw dust. Before Alex could announce himself, Wolf turned. "Rachel sent you?"

"Yeah, she was all mysterious about it too."

Wolf chuckled "It's a natural part of keeping secrets"

Alex wondered why he was in such a good mood so he asked.

"When was the last time I was in a bad mood?" Wolf countered brushing off his hands and jeans.

"Week before last," Alex answered, referring to the period of time when Wolf had been very ill-tempered because of his busted arm. "Not that you have to be all bubbly to not swear every minute. I'm just saying you could be, you know, in between" To which Wolf simply replied, "I like seeing you squirm because you don't know something."

Alex sighed in exasperation as he followed Wolf up to the sitting room.

"Grab your coat; we're going for a ride."

"Did I ever tell you that I hate surprises?" Alex asked in frustration as he did as bidden. "I might react badly if you keep it up."

Wolf just looked amused and opened the door to his Hummer "You won't react badly to this one, in fact you wouldn't dare."

Alex shut his door on the passenger side and decided not to give Wolf anymore satisfaction by asking what he meant and he refrained from asking anything else for most of the drive as well.

* * *

After driving for a while-about two and a half hours- they drove through the picturesque village of Credenhill and onward a little way till they came to what looked like a military base.

Alex glanced at Wolf "Am I under elite arrest or something?"

Wolf answered the question with a smirk. "Come on."

He led him through the compound which was indeed military in nature until he got to a building that seemed to be the centre for command. As they entered Wolf said, "Welcome to HQ."

Alex had figured out as much but was beyond confused when it came to the 'why' part of things so he remained silent and staring.

After a moment they met up with the rest of K-unit who were dressed in their SAS uniforms.

"Our little hero has arrived" Eagle announced by way of a greeting causing the other men to turn around "We are most pleased that you could make it." he continued in a false aristocratic accent.

"I'd like to know what I made it to" Alex snapped "but it seems to be beyond everyone's scope of goodness to spare me the surprises,"

"Patience you should have, reveal all we will shortly." Fox continued in a Yoda voice making everyone else laugh. Even Alex nearly cracked a smile.

"Stop goofing off," Wolf admonished as he left to change into his uniform.

"You'll find out what's going on in a few minutes" Snake answered as they headed to a large open room that seemed good for making announcements. The room was near filled with about 50 or more men all in uniform, making Alex feel painfully conspicuous. But since he wasn't exactly SAS he had no uniform. It was only for the sake of curtsey-Alex assumed-why K-unit still referred to him as a part of the team at all.

Wolf rejoined them near the front of the group of men just as two other commanders- one with a flat box in his hand- entered the room and proceeded to the front of the room, facing the crowd.

One of the Commanders scanned the crowd briefly before letting his eyes rest on Alex at the front, smiling kindly. The next moment he cleared his throat and began a small speech.

"There's a lot expected from the SAS; we are an elite group charged with the most special of military operations for the Great Britain. We're expected to deliver nothing but the best and we do, continually. When ever one of us men does anything we are trained and expected to do, there isn't much recognition because that's what our country expects."

The crowd murmured in response.

"But when some one who isn't paid or even really trained- a civilian under the age of 16 actually-does something to make the SAS proud; that is when some recognition is deserved.

When that person does something exceptionally brave not because he's supposed to do it or because that's what he's trained to do, but because it's right, then that young man deserves a pat on the back for a job well done, don't you think?"

As the group of men nodded and voiced their agreement the Commander called Alex to stand beside him before the audience.

"Gentlemen, meet Cub AKA Alex Rider. A few months ago he was sent to Brecon Beacons to undergo two weeks of training. You all know that you can't possibly finish your training in two weeks but his company said it didn't matter as long as we taught him something.

"Well his training officer wasn't glad about training a fourteen year old but he did and Alex learned what he could. Then ten days later he was whisked away and we didn't hear about him again for a while. Now it has come to my attention that this young man made a sacrifice during this terrorist crisis that saved the whole lot of us from a painful, untimely death. Fortunately it didn't kill him, but had everything went as planned, it would have and he knew that when he accepted to do what was asked of him."

The second man, who Alex learned was 2IC, turned to Alex "I'm sure you understand just how important what you did is to us." Alex nodded quietly "If it weren't for what you decided to do, a good many of us would be dead now or well on our way. You being willing to painfully lay down your life to save others constitutes an act of extreme bravery and I as the Second Officer Commander would like to thank you," He gestured to the audience of men before him. "on all our behalf's; it was a hard thing to ask but you didn't let your country down."

He handed Alex the box he was holding. After shaking his hand he said "I'm proud to say, welcome to the team, you fully deserve to be called a member of the SAS." As Alex accepted the gift the soldiers applauded.

Alex opened the box and found a full dress uniform of the 22 SAS regiment in his size complete with a solid blue Stable belt and a beige Beret bearing the insignia 'Who Dares Win'.

From the beginning of the speech Alex knew that they had been talking about him. But that didn't mean he wasn't surprised and shocked to say the least. He never thought anybody this important would ever know about what he did or for that matter thank him on such a scale. It was so flattering it made him blush furiously but he wasn't about to make a fool of himself by being mute.

"Thank you Sirs, all of you. I never imagined that I would receive a thank you this sincere for what I did; it makes me feel important you know." He received answering smiles from the crowd.

"As for why I did it, when you're in a situation where you know that if you're anything less than reliable, it's unacceptable, or that if you walk away from the situation without making a change then a life-or in this case- many lives will be damaged or lost, you do what you have to do and you don't stop till you know that you've done what you can or you can't do it anymore."

He stopped and scanned the faces of the silent men before him knowing that they understood what he meant completely.

"At first, I was angry with them, my employers I mean, because instead of telling me what I was to do, they lied to me. They thought I'd refuse if I knew what they really needed done so they gave me a load of bullshit and sent me into the field. But when Wolf, the leader of our Unit and my friend now, went against their will and told me what was really being asked of me, I knew that even though I wasn't going to get the chance to say goodbye to the people that really meant something to me, this had to be done. There was no choice. What's the use of living if you know it's at the expense of others who you could have saved?

I didn't like what I was about to do though. Needless to say I felt overwhelmed and I was reluctant to get moving; I knew it was really going to hurt. But Wolf helped me. He came with me even though he wasn't supposed, he protected me as best he could and if it weren't for him, everything would have gone according to plan and I would have died. But he risked his life too and that's why I'm alive now. So I think he deserves some credit too, 'cause we both did it." Alex concluded smiling at Wolf who looked both incredulous and slightly touched at the same time.

The room erupted into applause at the end of his short speech and many of the soldiers congratulated them both with friendly gestures and teasing. Alex had never felt so belonging since he'd been taken by MI6. These were seasoned, full grown men he was around and he was practically a midget among them having only just begun his growth spurt. In terms of years of experience, of course he was on the lower end, but he still had much more in common with them than with his age mates.

On their way out of the room Wolf was saying something to Alex about bringing his name into it when Wolverine approached them.

At first Alex felt a fleeting bit of apprehension at seeing the man who put him in the hospital in the first place, but he didn't really sense any danger from him so he let it pass.

"I just wanted to apologize for what I did to you." the man said "It's not that I had anything against you specifically or somethin'" he scratched the back of his head. "You- I guess- you just have a way of bringing out the bad in a person," he chuckled eventually "But I never should have done that.

The men looked at Alex expectantly.

"Thanks. Other people like to say that I bring out the worst in them too, but I can only answer by saying they bring out the worst in me. But I appreciate your apology; I thought you sort of hated kids or something."

"Nah, I'm okay with kids," he smiled "and you're actually not so bad, just different." the two of them shook hands.

"You've made our team proud and I admire you for that."

Alex smiled "Thanks" and Wolverine nodded having made his peace.

* * *

On the way back to London, Alex was quiet for most of time, thinking about his life overall. He'd begun to consider it in its entirety more often ever since he'd begun to work for MI6 and have his numerous close calls with death.

Before his job, life consisted of school, friends and the time spent with his uncle. But afterwards it was more keeping others alive and not die in the process; a fight to stay one step ahead of the enemy at the possible expense of his life. Like this latest mission.

He knew he wasn't supposed to do these things. Adults did them. Adults were trained to do them. They knew what to do and what the consequences of not doing it were. They could handle the pressure or at least seemed to and they were capable of doing the things asked of them. But then in that case he was an adult too if that was the criteria they used to judge, because as far as he was concerned, he could do those things as well. But at what expense did they all do it? Grown men and women did this for a living. It's their life. They most often strived to become that.

What was he striving to be? What was his life outside of espionage and MI6 and Scorpia?

He went to school and then again, he often didn't. His education was becoming patchy and incomplete. What did this mean for his future? What was his future? What could or did he want his future to be? Espionage was all he knew. What did he want to be before spying overlaid his table of career options? He didn't even remember.

He sighed, coming to a conclusion. Realizing that spying is what he would most likely do. He had developed a talent, a keen sense that allowed him to get the job done. A job that despite how bitter it had become, still drew him into the depths of the circuitry of it all, almost forcing him to ignore the warning of imminent danger and with it death, if only to feel the brief exhilaration of completing it afterwards and saving whomsoever was to be saved by doing so.

He was lucky; with his many close encounters with death one could almost say he defied it. He hoped it would continue to be so in his future missions; he knew he was going to have them.

Wolf glanced over at him as they reenter Greater London. A small smile was evident on the boy's face and the man briefly wondered what he was thinking about but made no comment.

* * *

"Your parents would have been so proud of you Alex," Rachel said tenderly as they sat eating lunch afterwards "Your uncle too."

Alex smiled thoughtfully munching a forkful of salad. Before he could answer he heard a loud thump from upstairs. Frowning, he glanced up.

"Who's upstairs?"

"Must be James" Rachel answered blandly

"You know, when I did all these things for MI6 and finish it successfully or I feel I did well, I didn't ever really stop to consider what my parents would think of me. At least not until Yassen told me about my father."

Rachel listened attentively "Who's Yassen?"

Alex considered whether or not to tell her but then decided to ignore classified nature of everything, he'd go crazy if he couldn't talk to someone about it and Rachel was a great person to talk to; she listened.

"Ironically, he's Scorpia's best assassin, the man who killed my uncle. At first I wanted to kill him too, the couple of times I saw him, but he saved my life more than once... at the expense of his own and I kind of got to understand him."

Rachel was quiet, mulling it over. "Why did he save you?" she asked finally "He sounds like the kind of person to avoid at all cost."

"Well sure, of course you want to steer clear of him especially if you're one of his assignments, but he apparently doesn't kill children."

"That's an interesting characteristic in a world class assassin," Rachel observed

"Yeah," Alex agreed "The other reason being he knew my dad closely, looked up to him actually, and he saw some of him in me. He said my dad saved him once and so he was returning the favor.

I'd been on a self assigned mission to take down Damian Cray but things had gotten messy. Cray ordered Yassen, who was helping him with his insanity, to kill me and a friend that was involved, but he wouldn't do it because of the children issue. So Cray shot both Yassen and me himself. I survived because of a bullet proof vest. Thanks to my friend Sabina, the mission didn't go up in smoke."

Alex was silent for awhile as Rachel digested what he'd said, when she didn't say anything, he continued. "While we lay there injured, he told me about his friendship with my dad and how he'd taught him everything he knew. He sent me to Scorpia to find out more just before he died.

It turns out that my dad had been a double agent for MI6. He was gathering information about Scorpia, undercover, and that was when Yassen met him."

"I see." Rachel murmured. She noticed Wolf come quietly into the kitchen from behind Alex.

"When Scorpia found out about my dad, they killed both of my parents just after I was born.

He paused looking off into the distance thoughtfully. "I never knew them." he smiled sadly "I knew Uncle Ian though, somewhat at least, he was usually pretty busy but when we got a chance to hang out, we sure had fun," He got up and went over to the window near the sink. ",until Scorpia killed him too."

Rachel came over and draped an arm around his shoulders. He stiffened slightly remembering when Jack used to give those touches, but he accepted the gentle comfort.

"It's only fair that I repay Scorpia for all they've done to me." He decided after a while with a faintly malicious look in his eye. "Not now though, when I've made enough allies in high places and I have enough resources." He looked Rachel in the eye, dead serious, "I'm not going to be stupid and say it'll be easy or even hard. It's going to be near impossible, but I am going to do it and when I do, they'll know it was me."

She nodded gravely "I don't doubt it and I won't try to dissuade you from it either. I have never met anyone so young and yet so mature and brave, and I know your family would have been beaming with pride." She hugged him tight "I know I would be."

A moment later he pulled away. "Thanks Rachel." When he turned around he noticed Wolf looking at him thoughtfully.

"You okay Cub?" He asked kindly

"Yeah, I'm good."

Wolf gave him a meaningful look but didn't question him further, instead he said;

"Well if you're finished you ought to go and get ready.

Alex stopped on his way out the door. "Get ready for what?"

Wolf smirked and glanced over his head at Rachel. "She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Alex demanded.

"Nothing except that we're going somewhere again."

"I've told you, I don't like surprises, why can't I simply _know_ where we're going?" Alex almost whined. "Surprises aren't good things you know." he continued "Surprises can actually kill you so I've learned to not like them."

"You've got a point Cub;" Wolf agreed slowly "This isn't the trap sort of surprise though, it's more the-sweeter-when-you-didn't-know-sort of surprise, so you have nothing to worry about."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Sweeter for me or you," he mumbled heading up to his room

"It depends," was Wolf's amused reply

"Do you have to tease him so?" Rachel asked chidingly after he left.

"He can take it." He looked at Alex's retreating back knowing that Alex understood their relationship enough to know when it was harmless teasing and he knew when Alex was only pretending to be as mad as he looked.

It was really all thanks to Rachel actually. She was essential to the tentative friendship he and Alex were working on. Wolf knew he was not exactly easy to get on with and Alex was altogether too self-conscious when he was around the man, which made for an awkward acquaintance at best.

But Rachel didn't allow for awkwardness, she said it made her feel very uncomfortable, itchy even, so she intervened whenever it appeared. A couple weeks ago her help had been very valuable.

Looking back with hindsight, he was especially grateful because he truly hadn't meant what he said then. Because he'd been so bad-tempered and mean while his right arm wasn't serviceable, he'd said a lot of things he didn't mean and one of them was along the lines of Alex becoming a nuisance. Needless to say Alex didn't have to be told twice. He didn't run off or do anything stupid, but he sure did stay out of the way.

When Rachel found out she wasn't happy. Saying how they had been making progress and now he had to mess it up with his insensitive attitude and she made them clear it up. It wasn't easy because Alex kept say that the things a person said when they didn't censor it first, were what they really thought and so on.

But it was eventually understood that sometimes people say things that they don't mean and this was one of those times. Alex accepted the apology but was still skeptical afterwards until Wolf took him boat racing the next day with his models. Fortunately, they'd had enough fun that day to forgive the harsh words from the days before.

They understood each better nowadays and there was even an undercurrent of trust forming.

As the two of them went up the stairs to get ready as well, Rachel pondered how she would tell Alex about their other surprise; their next destination. The kid was already weary of being the center of attention much less doted on. Rachel was beginning to have second thoughts about keeping it a surprise until they reached the Palace.

She was about to ask Wolf about it, but he'd went to tell Alex to wear his uniform. His announcement was met with more questions. "_Where_ are we _going_?"

She heard him sigh in obvious annoyance "This is the second to last time you're going to get an answer out of me about that; you'll find out when we get there."

Rachel spoke up then, "Actually no, when you're finished dressing come down stairs and we'll explain."

Alex nodded satisfied with that answer and went back into his room.

Wolf looked at her questioningly.

"I think it's better if we tell him before we go." She explained as they dressed. "Where's the letter?" she asked

Wolf took a fancy looking envelope out of his desk and opened it for the second time. " Are you going to just give him the letter or should we explain first?"

Rachel checked her hair in the mirror. "What do you think?"

Wolf thought about it for a second as he buttoned his jacket. "I say we give him the letter; we'll probably give him a more warped view of things if we try to explain it first."

"I see what you mean." Rachel followed Wolf out of the room "I just hope he doesn't take it badly."

"Take what badly?" Alex asked as he got up from scratching Seth behind the ear at the bottom of the steps. To his surprise Wolf was dressed in the same uniform as him.

Rachel stared at the two of them in awe for a moment ignoring Alex's question. "You need to let me take a picture." She said finally.

"Rachel we're going to be late." Wolf began nervously

"Nonsense, hold on a sec."

She ran back up to her room to grab her digital camera. "How come you're all dressed up to?" Alex asked

"As a member of the SAS I'm required to be." was Wolf's vague answer

Alex studied him for a moment, "That's not really why is it, you look nervous, why?" he grilled but before Wolf could answer Rachel came back.

"Now stand together over here" She motioned them over to the bay window in the sitting room with out further argument. "You too Seth." She directed him to stand in front and between them.

"Now smile, it's not like I'm trying to embarrass you."

Alex grinned up at Wolf who was apparently very uncomfortable in front of a camera.

"What's the matter, stage fright?" Alex teased

Wolf rolled his eyes and proceeded to generate one of the biggest fake smiles Alex had seen. Consequently it sent him into a laughing fit as ridiculous as it looked on Wolf's face. The laughing was contagious and Rachel managed to snap three memorable photos before they all calmed down.

"See, those weren't bad." Rachel showed them the previews in the view screen.

"I guess not." Wolf agreed

While Alex was studying the image, Wolf took the letter out of his pocket and thought of how best to begin.

"Look, Cub," he involuntarily switched to Alex's codename turned nickname, when ever he slipped into bargaining mode.

"You've been bugging to know where we're going and you have a right to know seeing that it concerns you in such a way."

Alex looked at him curiously also eying the letter in his hand.

"So, well here, this pretty much sums up what we're doing."he handed it to Alex

"Who's it from" Alex asked not liking the sound of things especially since Wolf and Rachel we all of a sudden so edgy and formal seeming.

"You'll see." Wolf urged "now open it."

"Is it bad?" Alex asked warily

"No!" Rachel and Wolf answered at once

"It's very good, we just weren't sure you would like it so just read it and tell us." Rachel explained

"Whether you like it or not we'll accept it" she assured him.

"Provided you give a proper reason for not liking it if thats the case." Wolf added quickly

"Okay" Alex agreed feeling somewhat better and opened the letter.

* * *

**Wow that took a long time to put together. This chapter has been rewritten,retouched and rebetaed about 20 times, no kidding. I just couldn't seem to get it right. The commander's speech alone took me a few weeks. Needless to say I hope I did well cause I'm not too sure. **

**By the way for those of you who are interested, I have another story in the making. It's called Caught In The Crossfire and I'm really enjoying writing it. Because it's a short type of analytic AU (one that takes a realistic approach to one aspect of the books therefore an AU) I've decided to finish it before posting any of it. It will be about 4 -5 chapter,maybe 20,000 words. I've finished about half. But I decided to post this before I continue since you all have been such good readers. **

**As you can see there is yet more to come. This was one chapter at first but it was too long so there are about two chapters left. **

**Once I'm finished with Caught In The Crossfire I'll get back on track with this.**

**Thanks for all your lovely reviews and support. Nightie Night **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**It's late, my eyes are shutting and I can't find much to say except to apologize for the completely unnecessary gap between updates in this story. There is one chapter left after this that I will try to write and post in a reasonable amount of time. Meanwhile review and let me know (pretty please) what you think.**

**Disclaimer: Self Explanatory**

* * *

As Alex read the elegant looking letter he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at first. He looked up at Wolf and Rachel who had expectant looks on their faces.

He read through the letter again. Then he carefully laid it down on his lap.

"You two sure know how to keep a secret." was the first thing he said. "I mean, an investiture? do I even deserve this?"

Wolf looked both relieved and incredulous at the same time. "What do you mean? What the hell do you think a body has got to do to get recognized?"

"Who put in the application?" he wanted to know

Rachel opened her mouth to say but Wolf silenced her with a gesture "You'll find out after the ceremony, now you haven't answered our question."

"You all have been too good to me, how can say no?" He looked down at the document again with a serious expression. "This is an honour."

"If it makes you feel any better I'm having one too. I mean we've both been nominated for medals. I'll be up there with you."

Alex looked up with a smile "Really?"

Wolf nodded

"So that's the real reason you're dressed up."

"Yeah,"

"I guess it's not that bad then." Alex grinned "We'll keep each other in check."

"So you'll go?" Rachel finally asked

"Of course, what made you think I wouldn't?"

"Well the publicity for one thing." Rachel explained

"Publicity?" Alex looked a little unsure all of a sudden.

"It's not great big publicity Cub, Just the local news group coming out to do a quick photo shoot to put with a description of what you've done. And with the SAS being involved they can't ask much anyway. There's nothing to worry about."

"Oh, okay." Alex was relieved. He glanced at Rachel's semi-formal skirt suit. "Who's invited?"

"Just James's Unit." Rachel answered shooting Wolf a look. "Oh and Tom Harris is coming as well." she added

Alex nodded thoughtfully, then he sighed

"What's the matter?" she asked as he got up and handed back the letter.

"I just thought Jack would have been around for something like this. I know she would have been proud." He looked up again. "You should never take what you have for granted right?"

Rachel and Wolf shared a glance. "Don't feel too bad Alex." Wolf comforted "What happened wasn't your fault. When you come back, you can tell her all about the ceremony."

Alex nodded but said nothing

"Okay then, you guys had better get a move on. I'll catch up in a little while."

"Come on Cub," Wolf gestured "We need to be in our spot to be called. The guests come a little later."

"Okay then" Alex answered quietly. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else that Wolf and Rachel weren't telling him, but he didn't say so. He had come to the point where he trusted them.

As they drove to the Palace, Alex quietly watched the scenery go by while thinking about what lay ahead of him in the days and weeks ahead. Things were moving fast. Not too fast, but sometimes he longed for what he'd had before.

Mostly he missed Jack and his old house. And thinking back further he really missed his uncle. But it was obvious that there would be no going back to the way things were; he could only move forward now. Forward into this unknown that almost guaranteed to be worse than everything from before.

"You okay?" Wolf glanced over at him. He couldn't read the child's expression but he had said nothing since they left 15 minutes ago. Wolf hoped nothing was wrong? Alex answered without turning around.

"I'm just thinking is all."

"You don't like this do you?" Wolf pressed sounding somewhat discouraged

Alex was touched and slightly amused by Wolf's tone. He gave him a brief smile.

"That's not true. It's nice to get some recognition from time to time. I just can't help thinking about what's going to happen after the festivities of today; its back to reality and I'm not looking forward to it right now. That's the truth."

Wolf nodded his understanding. He was quiet for a while trying to find the right words.

He turned to Alex as they slowed at a stop light. "You know, if anything goes wrong you can call us. We'll help you out."

"I know." Alex answered in sincere thanks.

Alex stood in line in the brightly lit gallery that seem to feature royal red and historical art work as its prominent decor theme. He was patiently waiting to be called by the unseen announcer who would inform everyone of his name, award and achievements before he received them from the Queen herself. Wolf was right after him. Having the last name Saldana he was the ten to last person in the group of about 93 people to be recognized for some achievement or another that day.

There were still four other people before him who hadn't been called. He turned to glanced at Wolf who looked prim and calm.

"Is that how you keep people from noticing how nervous you are?" he asked quietly

Wolf looked faintly scandalized "Shut up," he whispered back "it'll be your turn in a minute; show some composure would you."

Alex smiled softly, hardly disturbed by Wolf's tone.

"After everything I've been through you'd think this would be a walk in the park," Alex confided after a moment "yet this is actually harder than it seems."

Wolf stepped a little closer looking as though he hadn't really minded Alex speaking at all. "Its because of the rules. Less to break out in the field."

Alex thought about it for a little while "Yeah, its so easy to screw up."

"Relax," Wolf reassured "There's not too much to do wrong."

The person standing before Alex was called into the room and Alex felt a little pang of anxiety at knowing he was next.

It's not that he was scared or anything. He told himself. He was just nervous. Eager to please and make a good impression and not quite sure if he would be able to.

He looked back at Wolf who nodded encouragingly. When he looked forward again he was being beckoned into the enormous hall where everyone sat listening as his name and achievement were announced.

"Alex Rider is receiving the George's Cross for acts of extreme bravery and patriotism in a national crisis." The unseen person announced as Alex walked along the red path to receive his award.

The audience to his right watched him; some in awe, other's in shock. He thought he spotted Rachel smiling at him near to the back and he suddenly felt a stab of jealousy and resentment towards her.

It was not fair that she had this privilege and Jack, who had lived with him all these years, who had suffered for him because of his enemies and had loved him when no one else could, when no one else was there to; had to miss this moment. The sort of moment he thought he would have proudly shared with her.

He purposefully turned away, his eyes smarting where tears threatened to fall.

He turned left and stepped up to the platform where the Queen stood waiting to give him his medal.

It was an honor he knew most people did not have the privilege of receiving but at the moment he didn't feel privileged; just alone."

He schooled his features into polite neutrality and stepped up to receive his award. The Queen held a polite conversation with him as she pinned the _small medal to the right breast of his jacket and the meaningless small talk strangely calmed him.

He didn't feel any less sad about Jack's absence and his overall situation, but he did feel a little less alone; the loneliness of his circumstances, the oppressive secrecy that had always weighed heavily on his mind didn't feel as dreadful.

As he backed away to continue to the waiting room where the recipients waited till the end of the ceremony, he felt proud and sad at the same time. He wistful gazed into the attentive audience whose attention was now upon Wolf who just entered the room. Rachel, was busy passing a tissue to a woman sitting next to her who was apparently overcome with emotion.

When he was eventually reunited with his party, Rachel informed him that she was sorry she had to leave so abruptly but that she need to prepare the last event of the day. This surprised him of course but he didn't particularly mind; he didn't trust himself to face her properly without a certain degree of resentment just yet. He needed a moment to get over his self pity. Unfortunately the men of K-unit swarmed him at that moment, distracting him from his brooding and made him join them for a few pictures and congratulations.

Tom was especially awed by his medal. It seemed to give him a new kind of respect for Alex. His best friend's opinion seemed to count that much more and he was reluctant to contradict him on most things.

Alex tried to tell him that this hadn't changed things, but Tom wasn't listening and Alex's heart just wasn't into the argument; he didn't really care what Tom thought. His sadness for Jack was consuming and he just wanted to be left alone right now.

Wolf came over to him laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. He had a truly happy look on his face.

"Come on." He smiled at Alex almost affectionately "We have one last surprise."

Alex tried to stifle a groan. He knew Wolf and Rachel were just trying to make him happy before he left. He was grateful and he felt loved, but he didn't care for any more surprises. He told Wolf that.

"I know." Wolf's smile didn't falter, rather it seemed to widen. "I know you're hurting right now Alex. When all's done and said, its just family that matters isn't it?" He asked hustling he and Tom into the truck as the other member's of K-unit left to regroup at Wolf's house.

Alex looked up at him curiously. "Yeah, it does." he answered buckling up.

Wolf seemed to randomly switch topics again. "Well, like I said we have another surprise and I know its going to make you feel better. Trust me."

Alex tried to make eye contact with Tom, seeking an ally in his confusion, but Tom kept staring straight ahead with a secretive smirk on his face.

"You know what it is!" Alex accused

Wolf laughed. An easy, genuinely happy sound that made Alex feel good despite his own darker thoughts.

"Yes Alex. We needed his help to pull this off. Don't badger him; you'll soon find out."

Alex sat back feeling a little put off but intrigued none the less. Three minutes into the ride he decided to try and squeeze the specifics out of them for the sake of taking his mind off things if nothing else.

"What'd you need Tom for?"

"I know what you're doing and you should know me better than that Cub." Wolf promptly answered.

Alex switched tactics feeling annoyed. "Why are you so happy?" he asked almost petulantly

Wolf glanced at him through the rear view mirror to judge the weight of his question. He stared ahead at the road again with a thoughtful expression before answering.

"Well I have a number of reasons to be happy right now. One, we just saved the whole damn country from the second Plague, I have a beautiful fiancée who's so proud of me right now she could burst and I can't stop imagining the look on your face when you see what we have prepared for you."

He glanced back at Alex who's features had softened somewhat at this revelation.

"And besides I love seeing you squirm.

"I knew it." Alex exclaimed

"Come on Cub, that's the best part." He laughed "You don't like being left in the dark do you?" He glanced back at Alex's petulant face, grinning "Really Alex, pouting?"

"I 'm not pouting Wolf. Seriously, I do not pout."

" Seriously, you are." Wolf countered causing Tom to chuckle with his barely suppressed mirth.

"Is Rachel in on the surprise?" Alex suddenly asked exasperated

"Of course she is." Wolf turned onto their road. "And if you follow my instructions all will be revealed." he added pulling into the drive way.

"Now as soon as you enter go straight to the kitchen and find out what Rachel has to say." Wolf shut his car door and gave Alex a look that said; behave.

"I'm not gonna do anything." Alex growled out of annoyance following Tom into the kitchen. As Wolf entered the living room. Rachel stood by the sink sipping a cup of coffee watching him carefully.

"Coffee?" she offered them

"No. Thanks." the boys answered. Alex actually could have done with a cup but he was too anxious to find out was going on.

"I suppose James has been teasing you and dropping hints about what we're hiding right?"

"Of course. It makes him _happy." _Alex didn't bother to hide his annoyance.

Rachel gave him a sympathetic smile. "Go ahead; I won't hold you back. She's in the next room."

Tom looked up when she spoke, wondering if she had meant to let the hint slip. Alex's expression flashed between a number of emotions before his eyes lit up with conclusive realization. Then a last flicker of hesitancy answered by Rachel's reassuring nod and smile. Tom was amazed at how far the relationship between them had come. How far Alex had come since Jack's accident. Since everything. Since MI6.

He did seem to have .. regressed today. Perhaps because of the absence of Jack in his special moment. That's why he need this so badly.

Tom felt grateful to Rachel and James for doing this for his best friend. For propping him up when he had so nearly fallen.

Tom turned to Rachel after Alex disappeared from the room barely guarded excitement.

"Thanks."

"For what?" She placed her cup in the sink and fully turned to him.

He gestured to the living room where he heard Jack's familiar yet nearly forgotten voice in a squeal of delight.

"For doing this for him. Everything; protecting him, caring; going the extra mile. Me being his best friend and all, it means a lot to me."

Rachel smiled appreciatively, leading him out of the kitchen. "You know, between me and you, it was love at first sight."

His quizzical look made her laugh. She stopped by the foyer at the bottom of the steps. "Its not like that, more like..." she became more serious "When James first told me about Alex and his predicament, I was cautious at first; trusting James you know, but guarded nonetheless. But then when I saw him in the hospital, lying there with all this pain driven anger and hurt. Something just screamed; ' he needs help, he needs you to help him' over and over in my mind. He was just...so... alone you know?" She looked down at Tom who was perched on the steps. He nodded assuredly. "I know the look."

"Well I just... I had to be the one to care. I had to somehow fix him. It was like some kind of mission or something; I had to make him whole again. Its those bitter, deep brown eyes that I fell in love with."

He nodded again beginning to understand.

Rachel sat down beside him on the steps absentmindedly observing her nails while listening to Alex explain everything to Jack with enthusiasm and life, obviously delighted with her presence. And she almost, just almost felt a pang of jealousy.

"Its like when you see a puppy or something, with these big expressive eyes that say 'help me' and 'go away' at the same time. That's the kind of thing that drew me in."

She looked up again, slightly embarrassed. " I hope you don't think I'm queer now."

"No. I think you guys are the best people for the job. If anyone can fix the damage that MI6 has done, its you."

She smiled "That means a lot coming from his best friend."

* * *

Alex spent the rest of the day with Jack. Telling her about everything, how much he'd missed her, how sorry he was for her pain. Of course she assured him it was Scorpia she blamed for everything, not him. She made him understand that he had been a victim too. One who had risen to the occasion to become the hero.

She teared up again, revealing that she had been at the ceremony that day. Watching him, so handsome and proud and deserving as he strode over to receive his reward. She admitted that she had barely been able to see for how hard she had cried. She was so overwhelmed with pride for him. He had become the youngest person to ever receive the George's Cross. It was the highest reward a civilian could receive for bravery. Second only to the Victoria's Cross, which was its military equivalent. That was the one that Wolf had received and she fully believed he'd also deserved his reward. She would forever be indebted to him for saving Alex from the worst.

They talked and reminisced and apologized up until it was time for her to catch her flight back to the states in the evening, forgetting the time and everyone else. Needless to say Alex deeply regretted her having to leave again but he knew this was how it had to be. He had come to the end of an era and he needed to accept that. That this was better for Jack. He reluctantly bid her good bye as Wolf took her to the airport.

Alex quietly sat in the living room alone. Rachel was up in her room doing whatever and Wolf was gone with Jack to the airport.

The rest of K-unit and Tom had left not too long ago.

He had his thoughts to himself.

To be truthful he'd had no idea that Jack was the surprise that Rachel and Wolf had planned. He had been utterly surprised and a little unbelieving when Rachel had told him that 'she' was in the living room.

Her presence had truly been the highlight of his day. A joyous surprise actually.

They really were trying to make him happy. Genuinely trying and that made Alex feel a way he hadn't felt since his uncle had died.

He felt really bad now for thinking of Rachel so negatively earlier that day. She wasn't ignorant to the pain he was feeling and she hadn't really been intruding. The situation wasn't her fault in anyway and she had done nothing but help so far. She deserved a thank you.

He looked up suddenly as he heard the key in the lock and he realized that Wolf was back. Wolf came in and threw his keys on the table in the foyer before leaning on the door post of the living room watching Alex intently with a faint smile on his face.

Alex met his eyes for a moment before looking back into his hands.

"She okay?"

"Yeah" Wolf walked over and dropped down into the sofa next to him. "I made sure she was safely on her flight before I left."

"Thanks." he answered quietly

"No problem" Wolf answered still watching him, gauging his mood; to be there for him if need be."

"No I mean for everything." Alex looked up at him seriously. "For everything you and Rachel have done up to this moment. It feels like..." He seemed at a loss for words.

"Its okay Alex" Wolf assured him "I understand."

"No" Alex insisted "Its more than that. It's like... I can't explain it properly, but... its more than just today." He seemed somewhat frustrated

"Its okay Alex." Wolf repeated softly "Really, I understand more than you think." he smiled "You're in good hands."

Alex gave a lopsided smile of his own in answer. "Even after I leave?"

"Hell yeah." Wolf answered confidently "I'm gonna be watching you. Call on you from time to time you know."

Alex nodded before looking up over Wolf's head to notice Rachel entering the room.

"You're back." she quietly stated, coming to sit on the arm of the chair next to Wolf. She had on a plush red robe which she pulled more tightly around herself before sitting down and she seemed more reserved than usual.

"Yeah," Wolf answered pulling her closer to him. "You okay?"

"Hmm" she nodded glancing over at Alex who was gazing off into the distance.

She looked back at Wolf, her eyes asking about the child.

Wolf nodded. But sensing something needing to be said between them, he gently nudged Rachel off his lap so he could get up.

"You want anything?" He asked heading off to the kitchen

"No Dear, I'm fine." She answered without looking up.

Alex looked up from his thinking as Wolf left the room grateful for his momentary absence so he could say what he needed to say.

He looked over at Rachel with something akin to a sad smile. He got up and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry Rachel. For acting the I way have lately."

She pulled back looking both pleased and surprised. "I don't understand what you're apologizing for.

"I've been something of a jerk these past few days and today I was deliberately short with you."

He noticed a flicker of confusion and hurt across her face before it disappeared again. "I was so hurt thinking that Jack wasn't at the ceremony she'd been left out of everything. It felt like everything had been unfair for her and I felt that you were experiencing a privilege she should have had. It felt like you were ….cheating but then I saw, really saw how much you cared. The lengths you would go to help me and... well" He looked down at his stubby, mostly eaten nails. "I felt ashamed."

He looked up at her with a hopeful smile. "I hope you can forgive me."

She looked down into his eyes with tears. "I forgive you Alex, because you've done nothing wrong." Her voice quivered a little "You've done nothing wrong whatsoever."

"Thank you." Alex answered hugging her again. "For all of it. If anyone can fill that void that Jack left behind, its you."

"I'll do my best Alex." she whispered back squeezing him.

* * *

**Okay there you have it. My eyes are fully well on shut down and I can barely type but I've got it done finally. Please review. It really is what I write for. Until next time.**

**(P.S. If you notice any glaring grammar errors let me know so I can fix them when I am more awake. Thanks.)**


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